North STL News

The University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team continued its strong performance with a 3-1 victory over Truman State at Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Missouri, on Saturday. This win marks the sixth consecutive victory for the Tritons, bringing their overall record to 13-4 and maintaining an undefeated 6-0 standing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). Truman State now stands at 6-12 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

During the first set, UMSL established a six-point lead before Truman responded with a significant run to take a brief advantage. The Tritons regained momentum with key plays from Hannah Copeland and Alayna Santel, including blocks and kills that secured a 25-22 win in the opening set.

In the second set, UMSL again took an early lead but faced resistance from Truman. After Lily Porter brought Truman within one point, UMSL responded by scoring five consecutive points. Maggie Johnson and Iyannah Jackson contributed crucial kills during this stretch. The Tritons eventually won the set after an attack error by Truman’s Hannah Hosty.

Truman managed to extend the match by winning a close third set, overcoming a late deficit to claim it 25-23. However, UMSL closed out the match in four sets by controlling key moments late in the fourth set and securing a 25-20 victory.

UMSL recorded a .293 hitting percentage for the match with 67 kills against 19 errors on 164 attempts. Alayna Santel led all players with a career-high 26 kills along with 15 digs, three blocks, and an ace. Maggie Johnson added 16 kills while Hannah Copeland contributed both offensively and defensively with 11 kills and seven total blocks. Caitlin Bishop provided support with 62 assists, while Skylar Weaver had a team-high of 22 digs.

On Truman’s side, Hannah Hosty finished as her team's top scorer with 17 kills and four blocks. Tori Creason registered 26 assists for the Bulldogs, who hit .218 as a team.

The Tritons will next compete at the Midwest Region Crossover at Hammond Sportsplex in Hammond, Indiana next Friday. Details regarding opponents and match times are expected to be announced Monday.