UMSL’s Charlotte Richards had 15 kills in the Tritons’ three-set sweep over Truman State, Friday night in Kirksville. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)

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UMSL (12-4, 7-1)2525253
TRUMAN STATE (2-15, 0-8)1722130

by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team earned itself another solid Great Lakes Valley Conference victory, Friday night in Kirksville, Mo., when the Tritons defeated the host Bulldogs in a three sets to none sweep.

UMSL got big nights from outside hitters Charlotte Richards and Karlyn Hannewald, and middle blocker Paige Yoder, who combined for 32 kills in the match. Truman State finished the night with just 33 kills as a team.

Richards had a match-high 15 kills and Yoder added 10, as first-place UMSL, the leaders in the GLVC Central Division, who now boast a 7-1 league record, wore down a struggling Truman State team that was looking for its first league win of the year.

Overall, UMSL is now 12-4 on the year and has won nine of its last 10 matches. Truman is now 2-15 on the season and has lost 14 matches in a row.

Despite its last place record and that unenviable losing streak, Truman State came out fighting to keep the score close early in the first set and even managed to pull off a 5-0 run to get within a point at 14-13.

But the Tritons responded with a 6-0 run to go ahead 20-13. Then after Truman State ended that run, UMSL won five of the final eight points to win the set 25-17.

The second set was the tightest of the night. The two teams traded the lead, but neither led by more than two points through most of the set.

Truman State’s last lead came at 17-16, following back-to-back kills by senior outside hitter and native St. Louisan, Morgan Smith. But UMSL answered with a 5-0 run to go ahead 21-17 and was later able to close out the set on back-to-back kills by Hannewald.

The final set was when the Tritons took over. They began the frame by winning each of the first 10 points and never let the worn out Bulldogs get back in the match, ending the night with a service ace by freshman Leah Luchinski and a booming kill by fellow freshman Lauren Vandenberg.

Other Tritons that stood out on Friday were setter Kaileen Herman, who had a match-high 33 assists, and libero Megan Woll, who had a match-high 21 digs.

UMSL will now move on to its second match of the weekend, which will be back in town, but will still be a road match, as the Tritons will travel to West County to play Maryville.

UMSL’s next home match, on campus at the Mark Twain Building, will be Friday, October 29, when the Tritons will host Lindenwood.