No. 2 Missouri State captured the league title with a 3-0 win over top-seeded Wichita State in the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship Saturday afternoon on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. The Bears won by the game scores of 30-24, 30-28, 30-20. MSU claimed its third overall title in school history after securing crowns in 1990 and 1993.
In game one, WSU jumped out to an 8-4 advantage on a kill from Abby Harsh but the Bears battled back to within one, 9-8, on a service ace from Adeana McAfee. The game remained close with the teams trading leads. The Bears took their first advantage 14-13 on a Katie Kreimer kill. MSU pushed its lead to 27-19 on a kill by Katie Werges en route to the game victory. Werges closed the game with eight kills on 13 swings for .538.
After an early 1-1 tie in game two, Missouri State led by as many as two until the Shockers evened the match 9-9 on a kill by Megan Mark. The Bears scored six of the next seven points capped by a tandem block from Sarah Lansing and Kreimer to push ahead 15-10. MSU took its second six-point lead of the game at 20-14 on a block assist from Sabrina Apker and Erin O'Connor. The Shockers, down 25-21, used a MSU net violation, a Darci Vohs kill and a Bears' attack error to come within one point of evening the frame. Missouri State held of WSU's rally and captured the game by a pair.
The Bears scored seven of the first nine points of the third game, capped by a kill from Lansing, to lead 7-2. Missouri State continued to excel and opened up a nine-point margin, 14-5, on a tandem block from Apker and O'Connor. Apker then served up an ace to move the Bears advantage to 20-8 on their way to the game and match win.
Werges led MSU with a match-high 16 kills. Lansing added 12 and Apker posted 11.
Elizabeth Meyers had a team-high 11 kills for Wichita State. Vohs totaled 10 in the match.
MSU is now 24-8 on the year while the Shockers fall to 28-3. The loss snapped WSU's school-record 26-match winning streak. The 2005 NCAA Selection Show will air live on ESPNews at 1:30 CST on Sunday, Nov. 27.
State Farm/MVC Volleyball Championship
Friday, November 25, 2005
Quarterfinals
No. 3 Illinois State 3, No. 6 Bradley 0
No. 4 UNI 3, No. 5 Creighton 0
Semifinals
No. 2 Missouri State 3, No. 3 Illinois State 1
No. 1 Wichita State 3, No. 4 UNI 1
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Championship Match
No. 2 Missouri State 3, No. 1 Wichita State 0
2005 All-Tournament Team
MVP: Katie Werges, Missouri State
Erin O'Connor, Missouri State
Sarah Lansing, Missouri State
Elizabeth Meyers, Wichita State
Darci Vohs, Wichita State
Stephanie Germann, UNI
Leah Ratzlaff, Creighton
Lindsay Stalzer, Bradley
Mary Catherine Richmond, Illinois State