LEBANON, Ill – SWOSU Volleyball couldn't capitalize on four set points in the opening frame and dropped its final match in Illinois to Missouri-St. Louis in straight sets.

UMSL, one of the top programs in the country, has reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the past four years and advanced to the Final Four in both 2022 and 2023. That experience showed throughout the match as the Tritons found ways to close out the big points.

The opening set was a battle. SWOSU fell behind 11-5 before rattling off seven straight points to take its first lead of the match. From there, the teams traded blows with neither side able to separate. The Dawgs had four opportunities to close it out, but UMSL held strong and stole the set 28-26, swinging the momentum early.

The second set proved to be the toughest stretch of the match for SWOSU. The Bulldogs hit .000 in the frame with eight kills offset by eight errors, and the Tritons controlled the action from start to finish. The third set brought a much stronger effort from the Dawgs, who stayed within striking distance until the very end, but UMSL delivered the final five points to secure the 25-20 win and sweep.

Three Bulldogs shared the team lead with six kills each: Hailey Smith, Katja Blanchat, and Kaylyn Christy. Blanchat added six block assists to anchor the defense at the net, while Christy posted a team-high 12 digs to round out her stat line.

The Dawgs now turn the page and head to Texas for the LCU Chap Classic in Lubbock. They will open play against Eastern New Mexico on Thursday, September 11, with first serve scheduled for 5:00 p.m.