Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Box Score of Midwestern State game
Box Score of. Pittsburg State game.
JOPLIN, Mo. – The Harding volleyball team opened the 2009 season with a 3-1 win against Midwestern State and a 3-1 loss to #17 Pittsburg State on Friday in the opening day of the Missouri Southern Invitational in Joplin, Mo. Harding moves to a 1-1 record on the season.
Senior outside hitter Manuela Nesheva led the Lady Bisons offense for the two matches. She had 40 kills and 23 digs. Nesheva had a double-double in each match moving her career total to 34 double-doubles.
In the Midwestern State game, Harding took the first two sets, 25-11 and 25-19. The Mustangs fought back to take set three, 26-24. Harding jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set and didn't look back taking the set 25-17.
Harding had three players in double figure kills, two of them had a double-double. Leading the way for the Lady Bisons was senior outside hitter Manuela Nesheva with 20 kills and 13 digs. Senior outside hitter Sarah Phipps was the other Lady Bison who had a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Alex Smith added 10 kills for Harding.
Harding's defense was led by sophomore setter Jessica Heimrich and junior defensive specialist Emily Tate who both had 17 digs. Redshirt freshman Lauren Mesker led the Lady Bisons at the net with three blocks.
Emily Tate had a career tying five service aces against the Mustangs.
The Lady Bisons held the Mustangs to only a .073 hitting percentage.
Against Pittsburg State, Harding took the first set, 25-23 but the Gorillas bounced back taking set two, 25-10. Pittsburg State took the next two sets to go onto a 3-1 victory.
Two Lady Bisons had double-figure kills, Manuela Nesheva and Sarah Phipps. Nesheva had 20 kills and 10 digs while Phipps had 11 kills and 11 digs.
Pittsburg State hit for a .369 percentage while holding Harding to a .159 percentage.
The Lady Bisons are back in action Saturday facing Southeastern Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. To wrap up the Invitational, Harding will take on host team Missouri Southern at 4 p.m.
