Box Score November 12, 2016 - For their final regular season game, the Emporia State volleyball team defeated Pittsburg State in four sets, 25-15, 25-16, 19-25, 25-16, to secure the final spot in the MIAA Tournament. The Hornets had a season high 18 team blocks against the Gorillas who had only four blocks.
Following three tied scores in the first six points, Emporia State jumped out ahead 6-3 thanks to two Josie Williams kills. The Hornets maintained the lead until a tied game at 10-10 due to a kill from the Gorillas' Lauren Regier. A 4-0 run, including back-to-back-to-back blocks from the trio of Danika Burton, Williams and Jamie Hauptman, gave Emporia State the advantage at 14-10, forcing a Pittsburg State timeout. The Gorillas stayed within four of the Hornets until a 8-0 run gave Emporia State their first set point at 24-12. Three straight points closed the gap 24-15 until a Pittsburg State service error gave Emporia State the win 25-15. The Hornets held the Gorillas to a -.019 hitting percentage in the first set, forcing 11 errors. After one set, Emporia State had six team blocks.
There were seven tied scores in the first 23 points in the second set until a final tied score at 12-12 from a Shayla Cotman kill. A 7-2 run by Emporia State boosted them ahead 18-14, a lead they kept on the way to a 25-16 win. The Hornets finished set two on a 5-0 run. At the conclusion of two sets, Emporia State was holding Pittsburg State to a .011 hitting percentage and was totaling 11 team blocks.
A .469 hitting percentage by the Gorillas in the third set kept them in the game en route to a 25-19 set win over the Hornets. The two teams battled back-and-forth until a final tie at 11-11. Emporia State took a timeout at a 16-13 Pittsburg State advantage. The Hornets would only get within two as the Gorillas forced a fourth set with a 25-19 third set win.
In the fourth set, Pittsburg State started off with a 4-1 lead before Emporia State answered with a 5-0 run to take a 6-5 lead. A Hornet service error tied the game back up at 6-6 followed by a Gorilla setting error to give Emporia State a 7-6 advantage. The Hornets kept the lead until a tie game at 11-11. A 5-0 run propelled Emporia State ahead 16-11, a lead they would not give up the rest of the game as they won the match three sets to one. The Hornets held the Gorillas to a -.023 hitting percentage in the fourth set.
Williams led the Hornets with 12 kills and seven block assists. Cotman, Hauptman and Burton each added seven kills. Cotman had a .389 hitting percentage with no errors, six block assists and one solo block. Burton tied a career high 11 total blocks with seven kills on a .500 hitting percentage with no errors. Emma Dixon had a double-double with 16 assists and 11 digs, Kimberly Bell falling a dig short of a double-double with 19 assists and nine digs. Allie Maloney led all players with 24 digs. Emporia State held Pittsburg State to a .090 hitting percentage, the Hornets having only 12 hitting errors while the Gorillas had 35 hitting errors.
Emporia State will travel to Kearney, Neb. to take on the #3 Lopers for the first round of the MIAA Tournament. First serve will be on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at a time yet to be determined.
