Emporia State Volleyball punches ticket to MIAA Tournament with 3-1 win at Newman

November 9, 2023-Emporia State punched their ticket to the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 with a 3-1 win at Newman on Thursday evening.
 
The first set was tight through the first 25 points with seven ties and two lead changes.  Trailing 12-11 the Hornets went on a 7-1 run four kills from Sandora Sasaki to take an 18-13 lead. They finished the set on a 7-2 run, with five of the points coming off Newman errors, to win 25-16. The Hornets hit .243 in the opening set while limiting the Jets to .000 with eight kills and eight errors in 40 attempts.
 
The second set was close throughout with 18 ties and nine lead changes. Neither team took more that a two point lead at any point in the set and the Jets finished off the 25-23 win with two service aces to even the match at 1-1.
 
The only time the Hornets trailed in the third set was at 1-0. They scored three straight from a 3-3 tie to take the lead for good. Newman stayed within 3-5 points until Emporia State went on a 9-2 run to take a 20-10 lead. The Hornets finished the set with a kill from Brailee Bogle to take a 25-16 win and 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Hornets scored the first nine points of the fourth set and the Jets would not get closer than eight in the set as Emporia State completed the match win with a 25-16 decision.
 
Sandora Sasaki recorded her seventh match with at least 20 kills, finishing with 24 on .420 hitting.  McKenya Sorrells added nine kills, five aces and two block assists.  Tasiah Nunnery had eight kills on .538 hitting and added 12 digs while Anakaren Chavez had 18 digs. Brailee Bogle dished 36 assists and missed a double-double with nine digs.
 
With the win Emporia State secured a spot in next week's MIAA Tournament. The tournament quarterfinals will be held on Thursday, November 16 at the Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.

NOTES
Sasaki now has seven 20+ kill matches this season to tie Kendra Dawson (1992) for second all-time on the ESU single season list and move into a tie with Sarah Collins (1998-2001), Nikki Runnebaum (1996-2000), Petal Nelson (1995-96) and Leah Griswold (2003-06) for third on the ESU career list of 20+ kill matches.