UMSL seniors Paige Yoder (17) and Olivia Klank (15) both played well in the Tritons’ GLVC quarterfinal win over Illinois-Springfield on Friday. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)
| Score by Set | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois-Springfield (14-16) | 22 | 12 | 10 | (0) |
| UMSL (23-7) | 25 | 25 | 25 | (3) |
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team made quick work of opponent Illinois-Springfield in the quarterfinal round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, Friday evening at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
The Tritons, who came into the tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning the GLVC Central Division title, swept the Prairie Stars in three straight sets (25-22, 25-12, 25-10) in a match that lasted a little over an hour.
UMSL junior Maya Elliott led all performers with 13 kills, and senior teammate Paige Yoder added 12 kills, as the Tritons grabbed an early lead in the first set, then took control late in that first frame, and never looked back.
Illinois-Springfield’s only lead of the night came early in the second set, when the Prairie Stars led 5-4 and 6-5. But UMSL quickly took the lead back to win the second set by 13 points and the third set by 15.
UMSL’s Charlotte Richards, who earlier in the day was named GLVC Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, finished the night with nine kills, as the Tritons were able to put the Prairie Stars away without needing a big night from their best player.
The victory lifted UMSL’s overall record to 23-7, and advanced the Tritons to the GLVC semifinals on Saturday, where they will play sixth-seeded Southern Indiana, which upset third-seeded Rockhurst on Friday in a five-set thriller that saw both teams have match points before the Screamin’ Eagles were finally able to pull out the win.
Southern Indiana, now 18-12 on the season, finished second in the GLVC East Division behind top-seeded Lewis University, and is the defending GLVC Tournament champion, after winning last season’s championship game over Missouri S&T.
The match between UMSL and Southern Indiana is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. The winner of that contest will advance to the GLVC Championship Game, which will be played Sunday at noon.