The Basics

Score: (RV) Evangel 1, #16 McPherson 3 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (24-6), McPherson (28-5) 

Location: Bartlesville, Okla. (Mueller Sports Center)

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Valor Volleyball traveled to Oklahoma on Friday (Nov. 15) afternoon, to take on the 16th ranked and 2nd seeded McPherson College Bulldogs in the KCAC Conference Tournament Semifinals. Despite tying the game up at a set apiece, McPherson was able to take the final two sets, forcing Evangel to fall, 3-1, in the semifinal match.

Evangel opened scoring with a Bella Wakley service ace to open set one, but the Bulldogs answered with a 4-0 run to take a 4-1 lead over EU. A kill from DeRyan Simpson kept Evangel close early in the set, 7-6, but a 7-0 run for McPherson extended the Bulldogs lead to 14-6. Evangel fought to try and get back into the set with kills coming from Loran Pritchett and Vivianna Sanchez, but the Valor could not mount a comeback in the set, falling 25-17.

Set two was a battle between both squads, as neither team was able to take much of a lead in the set. McPherson took a three point lead over Evangel on a trio of occasions, but midway through the set, the Valor defense warmed up and began to record several blocks. Trailing 17-16, a kill from Vivianna Sanchez, followed by a block from Deryan Simpson and Sanchez, as well as a kill from Loran Pritchett put EU ahead, 19-17. The slim two point lead was not held for long, as McPherson went on a 3-1 run to take a 21-20 lead, forcing a EU timeout. Trailing 23-22, the Valor dug deep and closed the set out with a 3-0 run, getting kills from Simpson, Sharayah Seymour, and a Bulldog attacking error to take a 25-23 win in set two.

Despite opening the set with a 3-0 lead behind kills from L. Pritchett and Seymour, McPherson generated an 11-1 run in the set to take a 11-4 lead over EU. The Valor fought to bring the set to 12-8, but the Valor could not come any closer than the four point deficit, falling 25-17 in the third set, swinging just .108 to McPherson's .324.

In the fourth set, Evangel and McPherson opened the set with a very tightly contested start. With the game tied up at 9-9, McPherson went on a 4-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. With the Bulldogs leading 19-14, the Valor kept fighting, generating a 4-0 run with a pair of kills from Bella Wakley and block coming from Wakley and Seymour to make it just a one point deficit, 19-18. Although the Valor would fight hard, McPherson ended the set on a 6-2 run, as EU fell in the semifinals, 25-20. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Vivianna Sanchez led the Valor offense with an exceptional performance, finishing with 20 kills and seven blocks.

• Jessica Pritchett led the team with 40 assists.

• Kenna Wise finished her evening with 19 digs to lead the team.

• Bella Wakley finished with three service aces in the loss.

UP NEXT

The Valor will await to see if they did enough to earn an at-large bid in the NAIA National Tournament. The NAIA Selection Show is scheduled for noon on Monday (Nov. 18) afternoon.

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.