POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - College of the Ozarks pushed Evangel University to a deciding set before falling 3-2 on Tuesday at Keeter Gym. The Lady Cats won the first and third sets 25-23 and 25-20, but Evangel answered with victories of 25-21, 25-12 and 15-8 to claim set five.

College of the Ozarks used its service game to gain the early advantage. Consecutive aces by Anna Howe extended the first-set lead to 20-16, and the hosts later reached set point at 24-19. Evangel responded with four straight points to close within 24-23, but a setting error ended the rally and gave the Lady Cats a 1-0 match lead.

Evangel built a 16-6 advantage during a 7-0 run in the second set, but the Lady Cats mounted a determined comeback. Back-to-back kills by Kalli Noell brought C of O within 22-20 before Evangel stopped the surge with a kill. Evangel closed out the set 25-21 to even the match, but the Lady Cats responded in the third. With the score tied at 16, the home side reeled off six consecutive points, capped by a Kalli Noell kill, and an Anna Howe ace secured the 25-20 win.

Evangel forced the deciding set by hitting .312 in a 25-12 fourth-set victory. The Lady Cats  remained within 8-6 in the fifth after a kill by Cora Rutledge, but Evangel widened the margin. A Brinley Watson kill made it 12-8 before the visitors scored the final three points, with Jessica Pritchett delivering the match-clinching kill.

Kalli Noell led the Lady Cats with 14 kills and a .435 hitting percentage, committing only four attack errors across 23 attempts. Anna Brunner added 10 kills and seven total blocks, including two solo blocks. Audrey Riley recorded 24 assists and 10 digs, while Kamryn Link finished with 17 assists, four aces and 10 digs. Anna Howe supplied three of the Lady Cats 10 aces and added nine digs, while Emma Godwin contributed 10 digs.

The Lady Cats finished with 47 kills, 54 digs and nine total blocks while holding a 10-5 advantage in service aces. Evangel totaled 57 kills and hit .210, led by Simone Johnson with 16 kills on .433 hitting and Jessica Pritchett contributed 14 kills. College of the Ozarks will host Southwest Chrisitan University on Friday, September 4th at 6:00 p.m. at the K!