Marshall, MO - College of the Ozarks Volleyball traveled to Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. over the weekend and came away with a split in the two matches.

C of O vs Clake University
The Lady Cats opened the weekend tilt facing the Pride of Clarke University.

The teams traded points in the early going but the Lady Cats soon hit their stride and began to build a lead. Kills by Christa Duffel, Bailey Chamberlain, and Bri Linehan sparked the run and an Abby Chadwell kill put the Lady Cats up 11-5. The Pride battled to try and stay close but kills by Grace Hancock and Brooklyn Crawford added to the lead. Kills by Linehan, Abby Chadwell, and Mica Chadwell closed out the set and the Lady Cats took the opener, 25-14.

The second set was Lady Cats from the opening serve. A Bailey Chamberlain kill started the offense, and a pair of Pride errors gave the Lady Cats an early 4-0 lead. Chamberlain added a pair of service aces and kills by Linehan and Crawford bumped the lead to 12-3. The Lady Cats continued to apply pressure and the Pride were unable to find an answer. Point by point C of O pulled away and another lopsided victory looked imminent. A Crawford kill and a pair of Pride errors capped the set, and the Lady Cats took the win, 25-16.

With their backs against the wall, the Pride needed to respond.  Opening the set on a 5-1 run provided some momentum and the Lady Cats needed an answer. Slowly chipping away at the lead, the Lady Cats pulled even with CU, 9-9. The Pride held off the challenge, however and quickly regained the lead. A small Pride run extended the gap before the Lady Cats clawed their way back into contention. The tension mounted as an Abby Chadwell kill and a Pride error knotted the score 23-23. The comeback was not to be however, as the Pride scored the next two points to win the set 25-23 and avoid early elimination.

Set three proved to be a wake-up call for the Lady Cats and they came out swinging in set four. A 10-2 run opened the set with kills by Chamberlain, Duffel, Hancock, and Crawford. Bri Linehan got in on the action with a kill and the Lady Cats were in dominant form. Clarke could not find an answer and the barrage of kills by the Lady Cats continued. Bailey Chamberlain slammed home a kill and a service ace, and an Abby Chadwell kill sealed the set four win, 25-16. The Lady Cats took the match 3-1 to move to 11-6 on the season.

In another balanced attack, Bri Linehan led with 12 kills, Brooklyn Crawford and Bailey Chamberlain each added nine, and Abby Chadwell and Christa Duffel chipped in eight and seven respectively. Kamryn Link and Abby Chadwell piled up the assists with 23 and 20 respectively. Mica Chadwell and Abby Chadwell led the defense with 17 and 11 digs.

C of O vs Missouri Valley College
Facing the host Vikings of Missouri Valley College, it was evident the Lady Cats would have their hands full in the opening set. After building an early lead with kills from Abby Chadwell, Bri Linehan, and Brooklyn Crawford, the Lady Cats found the Vikings knocking on their door. The advantage slowly slipped away, and the Vikings took their first lead, 16-15. The two teams battled back and forth but the Vikings maintained a slim advantage. Unable to get over the hump, the Lady Cats fell in set one, 25-23.

MVC jumped out to the early lead in set two and it was up to the Lady Cats to try and turn the tables. Tied 9-9, a pair of Viking errors gave the Lady Cats the lead, but it would be short lived. A 5-1 Viking run flipped the score and the Lady Cats were on the defensive. The Vikings maintained the advantage until a Christa Duffel kill evened the score, 24-24. The two sides traded points and neither team wanted to give in. With the score knotted at 28-28, a Viking kill, and a service ace sealed the fate of the Lady Cats, and the set went to MVC, 30-28.

With the Lady Cats painted into a corner, they needed to breakout in set three to avoid the sweep. Another battle ensued and the two teams went back and forth trading jabs. MVC pulled away to a 13-8 lead, but the Lady Cats fought to stay close. Kills by Abby Chadwell and Bri Linehan were combined with a Jocee Pettyjohn service ace, and the gap was cut to 15-13.  The Vikings held off the Lady Cat challenges, and the set went down to the wire. A kill by Abby Chadwell made it 23-21 Vikings, and the Lady Cats were on the ropes. The Vikings turned up the pressure and posted the next two points to take the set 25-21, and the match 3-0.

Abby Chadwell led the offensive attack with 14 kills and Brooklyn Crawford added nine. Kamryn Link dished out 19 assists and Mica Chadwell anchored the defense with 14 digs.

The Lady Cats are back in action Tuesday as they host the Evangel Valor at Keeter Gymnasium in a 7 PM start.