Point Lookout, MO - In a nail-biting Sooner Athletic Conference volleyball encounter at Keeter Gym, the College of the Ozarks Lady Cats edged out the Mid-America Christian University Evangels with a final score of 3-2 on Friday.

The match opened with a tightly contested first set that saw the Lady Cats narrowly fall 24-26. However, they bounced back strongly in the second set, dominating with a 25-14 win. The third set saw the momentum shift back to the Evangels as they took the set 25-18 and a 2-1 lead. Undeterred, the Lady Cats rallied to claim the fourth set 25-18, setting the stage for a decisive fifth set. In a thrilling conclusion, the Lady Cats clinched the victory 15-12.

Key performances were noted from Bri Linehan with 16 kills, Cora Roweton with 17, and Christa Duffel contributing 8 kills and 4 blocks. Defensive efforts were led by Anna Brunner with a remarkable 11 blocks. The match also featured outstanding digs from Anna Howe (14), Audrey Riley (12), and Faith Klindworth (10). Serving was a strong suit as well, with Howe delivering 4 aces.

Coach Muckenthaler stated, “MACU is a very good team. They challenged us in all of our weak areas, but our team battled through. MACU struggled a little bit with their passing which allowed us to capitalize on aggressiveness from the service line. Ultimately, that put us over the top for a big conference win against a very good team.”

The Lady Cats not only celebrated a victory but also a milestone as Anna Howe recorded her 500th career dig. Looking ahead, the Lady Cats are set to face the University of Science & Arts Drovers at Keeter Gym on Saturday, hoping to extend their winning record which currently stands at 10-3 overall and 5-3 in the conference.