Second-day sweep wraps weekend for Mustangs

MARSHALL, MO – It was game day number two in Missouri for Morningside, and Stephens College and Midamerica Nazarene University were all that stood between the Mustangs and their return trip to Sioux City.  That ride home came sooner than later, with Morningside taking both matches in straight sets, defeating Stephens 25-19, 25-17, and 26-24, and MNU 28-26,25-15, and 25-20.

The Mustangs offense in the morning's match with Stephens saw Sabrina Creason running in tandem with Bridget Smith.  The veteran setter for the Mustangs turned in a match-leading 19 assists, with Smith not far behind with 11.  The 32 team assists resulted in 33 kills, led by Ryley Rolls and Meredith Hoffman, each with eight, Claire Wilson and Sydney Marlow each followed, with seven.  

The defensive squadron racked up 47 digs and four team blocks, coming on the strength of two solo blocks by Ryley Rolls, who also had a block assist in the match.  Payton Shoquist stood out front on the digs list for the morning, scooping 15 in the three-set victory.

The afternoon saw Morningside get more done on defense, tallying 14 block assists and 61 digs.  Elizabeth Zobel took the lead in the front row for the match, working for five block assists with Rolls right behind adding four.  Shoquist again stood on top, amassing 27 digs in the match.  Sydney Marlow followed, with 13.

Creason again led the dishing duo, totaling 20 assists, while Smith followed with 12.  

Marlow and Emerson Smith took top honors for the Mustang attackers in the afternoon's match, each notching nine kills.  Hoffman tailed with eight terminations to her name.

"Our girls made the choice to do the things we have been preaching and asking them to do," remarked head coach Jessica Squier.  "We controlled our side of the net, dictated our tempo, and in turn that won the match."

Morningside is back on the court on Wednesday, Sept. 1, in Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center's Allee Gymnasium, as the Mustangs host GPAC rival Northwestern in a 6 p.m. JV contest, followed by varsity, scheduled for 7:30.