The Basics

Score: Evangel 3, Saint Mary 2 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (8-9, 4-1), Saint Mary (14-6, 3-2)

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Ashcroft Center)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Valor Volleyball hosted the Saint Mary Spires on Wednesday night, looking to earn their fourth conference win of the season. Despite dropping the first two sets and falling behind 14-8 in the final set, the Valor demonstrated impressive resolve, fighting all the way back and using a 8-0 run in the last set to take an improbable comeback victory, 3-2.

Both Evangel and Saint Mary had strong opening sets on offense, as both teams recorded over a .300 attacking percentage in the first set. Saint Mary was able to race out to an 18-14 lead over Evangel, but the Valor used a 9-4 run where seven different Valor athletes recorded a point to take a 23-22 lead. Saint Mary ended the set on a 3-0 run, ultimately taking the set, 25-23, over Evangel.

Set two was a complete opposite on offense for both teams, as each team hit negative in the set. Several errors by both teams kept the set close, similar to set one. Saint Mary took an 8-2 lead to open the set, but Evangel was able to fight back in the set. After knotting the set up at 23-23, Saint Mary once again found the final run of the set, scoring the next two points to capture another 25-23 set win over the Valor, going up 2-0 in the match.

Evangel hit a game high .310 attacking percentage in set three, taking a dominant 25-14 win over the Spires. The Valor opened the set on a 7-0 run, led by Vivianna Sanchez on the block and the attack. After Saint Mary scored three points, Evangel responded with a 6-0 run of their own, led by strong serving from Bella Wakley and a pair of kills from Mallory Dick. The Valor cruised to the finish in the set with their strong offense over the Spires, 25-14.

In set four, both teams traded points until the score was knotted up at 10-10. Several attacking errors from the Spires helped push Evangel out to a lead. Ahead 17-15, the Valor used kills by Sharayah Seymour and Bella Wakley, a service ace by Kenna Wise, and a block by Vivianna Sanchez and Mackenzie Stoner to take a 21-15 lead. Seymour's strong play in the fourth set helped keep Evangel in the game, as EU took a 25-18 victory over the Spires to force a fifth and final set.

In the last set, the Valor found themselves down early. After a couple calls went against the Valor and attacking errors for Evangel gave Saint Mary points, the Valor found themselves down 14-8 with the Spires needing just a single point to take the win. With their backs against the wall, the Valor displayed an exceptional run to fight back. A Vivianna Sanchez kill was followed by a pair of Spires attacking errors. After a Saint Mary timeout, Mallory Dick and Bella Wakley both recorded kills to draw EU to within a point, 14-13. The Spires once again called timeout to try and ice Jessica Pritchett who demonstrated clutch service in the run. An attacking error by Saint Mary to tie the game was followed by a block from Sanchez and Wakley to put the Valor ahead 15-14. Wakley finished off the improbable comeback with a kill on the final play, giving Evangel their fourth conference win of the season, 15-13.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bella Wakley led the Valor on offense, finishing with 15 kills.

• Jessica Pritchett led the team in assists, finishing with 32 in the victory, her career high.

• Vivianna Sanchez had a stellar night, finishing with 11 blocks, as well as 10 kills for the Valor.

• Kenna Wise led EU with 23 digs in the 3-2 victory.

UP NEXT

Evangel hits the road to take on the Bethel Threshers on Saturday (Oct. 7) afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in North Newton, Kansas.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.