The Basics
Score: Saint Mary 3 – MidAmerica Nazarene 2
Record: MNU (4-3), Saint Mary (5-3)
Location: Olathe, Kan. – Cook Center

OLATHE, Kan. – MNU came within a point of closing out a five-set battle Tuesday night, but Saint Mary rallied late in the fifth to hand the Pioneers a 25-13, 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 14-16 loss at the Cook Center.

The Pioneers dominated the opening set, hitting .389 with 17 kills and only three errors. MNU led 12-5 midway through the set and closed on a 13-8 stretch for the 25-13 win. Emily Mathis helped finish it with an ace during a late four-point Pioneer run.

Saint Mary answered in the second. After MNU battled back from a 12-9 deficit to tie the set at 12, the Spires regained control and built a 23-19 advantage before finishing the set 25-20 to even the match.

MNU faced a 12-6 deficit in the third before putting together a six-point run highlighted by an Anna DeGraffenreid ace and kills from Dominika Bartosz and Kennedy Smalley to tie the set. The teams remained within two points the rest of the way, and MNU tied it again at 23 on a Talia Jost-Dominika Bartosz block before Saint Mary scored the final two points for a 25-23 win.

The Pioneers responded in the fourth after falling behind 5-1. MNU erased the deficit with an 8-2 run to take a 9-7 lead, then stretched the advantage to 17-10. Saint Mary pulled within three late, but Smalley delivered kills for MNU's 23rd and 24th points before Mia Olson finished the set with a kill for the 25-21 victory.

MNU carried the momentum into the fifth and jumped ahead 7-3. Saint Mary responded with five straight to tie the set at 8, but the Pioneers recovered and a Daelyn Cross kill gave MNU a 13-12 advantage. Smalley followed with a kill for match point at 14-13. Saint Mary tied it on the next rally, then consecutive MNU attack errors gave the Spires the final two points and the 16-14 win.

MNU finished with 69 kills to Saint Mary's 46 and held a 91-71 advantage in digs, but the Pioneers committed 35 attack errors and 14 service errors. MNU hit .178 for the match while Saint Mary finished at .128.

Kennedy Smalley led the attack with 16 kills while hitting .239 and added three block assists. Bartosz and Pola Madziewicz recorded 14 kills apiece, Mia Olson added nine, and Kyla Brandes finished with eight. Callie Winebarger distributed 31 assists, Anna DeGraffenreid added 17 and Macie Metcalf had 12. Mathis anchored the back row with a match-high 31 digs.

Turning Point
MNU reached match point at 14-13 in the fifth set when Kennedy Smalley put down her 16th kill of the night. Saint Mary answered to tie the set, and consecutive Pioneer attack errors gave the Spires the final two points for the 16-14 win.

Individual Leaders
Kennedy Smalley: 16 kills, .239 hitting, 5 digs, 3 block assists
Dominika Bartosz: 14 kills, 12 digs, 2 block assists
Pola Madziewicz: 14 kills
Mia Olson: 9 kills, .250 hitting, 1 solo block, 1 block assist
Kyla Brandes: 8 kills, .235 hitting
Callie Winebarger: 31 assists, 8 digs
Anna DeGraffenreid: 17 assists, 2 aces
Macie Metcalf: 12 assists, 6 digs
Emily Mathis: 31 digs, 1 ace

Up Next
The next match is Friday at Baker at 7:00.