Volleyball Wins on Road Against Stephens

Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College volleyball traveled across town to take on the Stephens College Stars in American Midwest Conference action. The Cougars (15-7, 4-0 AMC) took down the Stars (10-9, 2-2 AMC) 3-0 by scores of 25-12, 25-16, 25-17.
 
The Cougars jumped out to a quick 9-1 lead, forcing an early timeout from the Stars. Camila Espejo and Raven Buckley were dangerous behind the service line for the Cougars as they helped push the Cougar lead to 16-2, prompting Stephens to take their second timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, a quick kill from the Stars stopped the Cougars’ scoring run. The offense of Allana Capella and Abby Massengill powered the Cougars to a 21-10 lead. Two errors at the end of the set put the first set in favor of the Cougars, 25-12.
 
The Stars took the early lead in the second set with help from the Cougars errors. Columbia’s offense errors kept the Stars in the lead until Sude Gundogan brought the Cougars back with her tough serving, scoring four in-a-row to put the Cougars up, 11-9. Both teams traded points until Stephens called a timeout down 15-17. Behind the service line, Raven Buckley went on a 5-0 scoring run that was followed by an Abby Massengill kill for the Cougars to take a 23-16 lead. After Stephens took their second timeout of the set, two errors from the Stars gave the Cougars the second set win, 25-16.
 
The third set was back-and-forth until a block from Danielle Prior and Beyza Bektasoglu put the Cougars up three, 9-6. Stephens battled back to level the score at 11-11, but kills from Allana Capella and Danielle Prior put the Cougars back in the lead. More offense from Danielle Prior and Abby Massengill put the Cougars up 17-13. After a Stephens timeout, the Cougars blocked two balls in a row to force the Stars to take their second timeout. Luisa Ferreira served an ace that was followed by another kill from Allana Capella to put the Cougars at match point, 24-17. An error from the Stars ended the match for the Cougars, 25-17.

Allana Capella led the Cougars’ offense with 11 kills on a .348 hitting percentage. Beyza Bektasoglu (8), Danielle Prior (7), Sude Gundogan (6),  and Abby Massengill (6) all contributed well with multiple kills. Camila Espejo had a team-high nine digs, and Luisa Ferreira dished out 31 assists to go along with eight digs.