96.9 The Jock ESPN Radio Springfield Missouri
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State beach volleyball (24-5) clinched an undefeated home record with two sweeps against the McKendree Bearcats and the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles on Thursday. The Bears finish the regular season with a 14-0 record across its matches at Volleyball Beach Ozark and Betty & Bobby Allison Sand Volleyball Courts and are on a 15-match home winning streak going back to last season, the longest in program history.
“As a team, we have broken many records this season, but being able to break those records is because this team strives to win,” senior Brooke Plessner said. “Today is a testament to that as we ended our regular season with two strong sweeps.”
The Bears will compete in their first-ever Conference USA Tournament next week on April 25-27 in Youngsville, Louisiana. Matchups are to be determined.
Missouri State 5 – McKendree 0
The Bears started the day with an impressive showing against the McKendree Bearcats, sweeping all five flights to take the 5-0 win.
Flight No. 5 hit the ground running in the opening match. Plessner and Maddie Schrandt opened on a 5-0 run that culminated with back-to-back aces from Plessner. The McKendree pairing of Ashleigh Jamruk and Abby Hickman closed the gap with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to two. The Bearcats got to within one point, down 15-14 before the Bears pulled away to take the first set. The second set was much of the same, with the Bears jumping to a 5-1 lead and using a 6-0 run late to extend to an 18-7 lead. Plessner and Schrandt won the match, 21-16, 21-9.
“This season has been a blast and it’s awesome to see the hard work from practice translate to games,” Schrandt said. “I’m so lucky that I have Brooke as a partner and she’s done so much for the program.”
Allyson Larkin and Olivia Rattler maintained control of both sets at flight No. 4 against Amber Williams and Lauryn Lahey. The Bears used a strong first set and carried that over into a competitive second set. Larkin and Rattler managed a 14-13 lead in the latter set and went on a run to seal the match, 21-12, 21-17.
Flight No. 3 saw familiar faces return for both teams. Erin Eschleman returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday’s match against Park (Mo.) to reunite with Olivia Muriel. The duo faced McKendree seniors Hanna Parisio and Jessica Hickel, who played at No. 3 against the Bears in last year’s first-ever meeting between the teams in Ozark. Missouri State didn’t miss a beat in Eschleman’s return as the Bears never trailed in either set and went on a 6-0 run to pull away late to win, 21-12, 21-13.
Becca Bach and Manuela Niemeyer had the cleanest match of the five flights against Brooke Junker and Natalie Witt. Niemeyer faced Junker last season at the No. 4 spot and used that experience to end the match with eight straight points to win, 21-10, 21-17.
Missouri State secured its 14th sweep of the season with the final win at Flight No. 2 by MacKenzie Steele and Amanda Cleary. The duo finished the job against Megan Diercks and Michelle Ramirez, 21-15, 21-11.
Missouri State 5 – Oklahoma Wesleyan 0
The Bears were even stronger in their regular season finale against Oklahoma Wesleyan. Missouri State once again won at every flight in a straight-set sweep and only allowed the Eagles to reach double-digit points in four of the 10 sets played.
Plessner and Schrandt secured a historic season with an amazing performance at No. 5 against Natalie Ater and Elizabeth Hope, allowing a season-low eight points across both sets. The Bears started with five straight points in both sets and ended the first set on a 9-0 run that ended with a Plessner ace. The Bears one-upped themselves in the second set, scoring 14 unanswered points to win 21-5, 21-3.
The win propelled the duo to 25-4 (25-3 at No. 5) to set a new program record for wins by a pair in a season.
“Beating the record for most wins in a single season as a pair is something I will always cherish with Maddie,” Plessner said. “We have had a connection since Day 1 and I am incredibly proud of how she has stepped up in her role on this team, making it all possible.”
Not far behind in the win column are Muriel and Eschleman, who secured their 22nd win as a pair with a sweep over Jordan Isbell and Maddy McKinney. A 6-0 run was enough to take the first set, but a 9-0 run with some smaller runs sprinkled in put the cherry on top for the 21-7, 21-3 win.
Flight No. 4 served as the clinching match for the Bears at the hands of Larkin and Rattler. Missouri State had yet another 6-0 run in the first set against Claria Warren and Avery Forman. The Bears ended the match on a 5-0 run with a smashing kill from Rattler to put the cherry on top of the win, 21-6, 21-6.
Bach and Niemeyer also put the finishing touches on their record season at Flight No. 1, picking up their 16th win as a pair in a rematch from earlier this year against Allison Howard and Syndey Collins. The Bears ended the first set on a 7-0 run and never trailed in either set to defeat the Eagles, 21-10, 21-14, allowing three fewer points against Howard and Collins than in their match in February.
Steele and Cleary had the honor of putting a ribbon on a perfect home season at flight No. 2 against Angelina Arvizu and Ashlynn Farell. It took a strong start in both sets that resulted in similar outcomes as the Bears won, 21-10, 21-11 for the 19th win by the pair at No. 2.
Results
Missouri State 5 – McKendree 0
Flight 1: Becca Bach/Manuela Niemeyer (MSU) def. Brooke Junker/Natalie Witt (MU): 21-10, 21-7
Flight 2: MacKenzie Steele/Amanda Cleary (MSU) def Megan Diercks/Michelle Ramirez (MU): 21-15, 21-11
Flight 3: Olivia Muriel/Erin Eschleman (MSU) def. Hanna Parisio/Jessica Hickel (MU): 21-12, 21-13
Flight 4: Allyson Larkin/Olivia Rattler (MSU) def. Amber Williams/Lauryn Lahey (MU): 21-12, 21-17
Flight 5: Brooke Plessner/Maddie Schrandt (MSU) def. Ashleigh Jamruk/Abby Hickman (MU): 21-16, 21-9
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2
Missouri State 5 – Oklahoma Wesleyan 0
Flight 1: Becca Bach/Manuela Niemeyer (MSU) def. Allison Howard/Sydney Collins (OKWU): 21-10, 21-14
Flight 2: MacKenzie Steele/Amanda Cleary (MSU) def. Angelina Arvizu/Ashlynn Farrell (OKWU): 21-10, 21-11
Flight 3: Olivia Muriel/Erin Eschleman (MSU) def. Jordan Isbell/Maddy McKinney (OKWU): 21-7, 21-3
Flight 4: Allyson Larkin/Olivia Rattler (MSU) def. Claira Warren/Avery Forman (OKWU): 21-6, 21-6
Flight 5: Brooke Plessner/Maddie Schrandt (MSU) def. Natalie Ater/Elizabeth Hope (OKWU): 21-5, 21-3
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 2
