Springfield Standard

Missouri State began its 2025 volleyball season with two losses at the Wildcat Invitational in Abilene, Texas. The Bears fell to Oklahoma and Abilene Christian, both by scores of 3-1, during matches held Friday inside Moody Coliseum.

All seven freshmen on the Missouri State roster played during the opening day. The team remained competitive throughout all eight sets across both matches.

The Bears will conclude their participation in Abilene with a match against Incarnate Word scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

In the first match, Missouri State won the opening set against Oklahoma, a team that is receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 Poll. However, Oklahoma came back to win the next three sets (25-27, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18). The initial set was closely contested with thirteen ties and eight lead changes. Lexi Weinberg contributed kills that helped Missouri State take a late lead before freshman Chloe Judd secured the final point following two errors by Oklahoma.

Oklahoma pulled away late in the second set with a six-point run and maintained control throughout the third set despite a five-point rally from Missouri State led by Riley Ourth’s aces. In the fourth set, Missouri State narrowed an early deficit but could not overtake Oklahoma.

Rilynn Finley led Missouri State with nine kills. Aniya Joseph recorded nine digs and Hannah Gardner finished with thirteen assists. Oklahoma had advantages in all team statistical categories and served ten aces alongside twenty errors.

Against Abilene Christian in Friday’s nightcap (25-15, 26-28, 25-19, 25-22), Missouri State’s freshmen combined for twenty-four kills and five aces. ACU took control of the first set with two six-point runs. The second set featured eighteen ties and nine lead changes before Missouri State prevailed after saving three set points. Five players registered at least three kills as Missouri State hit .342 for that period.

Abilene Christian used an eleven-point run to build a significant lead in the third set; though Missouri State closed within three points after Peyton McKee scored three consecutive kills during a seven-point stretch, they were unable to tie or take the lead. A similar pattern followed in the fourth set as ACU built another large advantage before holding off another comeback attempt from Missouri State.

McKee led her team with nine kills while Jenna Walters added seven. Gardner served four aces and tallied seventeen assists. Abilene Christian finished ahead statistically: fifty-eight to forty-four in kills, .266 to .162 hitting percentage, nine to eight aces, fifty-nine to fifty-one digs and twelve to ten blocks.