20th-ranked Cougars take down Rio

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande did something that no other team had done to Mount Vernon Nazarene University through seven matches this season.
     But the RedStorm ultimately became the latest victim of the 20th-ranked Cougars.
     Rio Grande became the first opponent to force MVNU beyond three sets, but ended up on the short end of a 25-17, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20 decision in non-conference women's volleyball play, Wednesday night, at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     The visiting Cougars improved to 8-0 with the victory.
     Rio Grande dropped to 4-3 with a second straight loss.
     The RedStorm avoided a straight sets loss by bolting to a 14-3 lead in the third stanza and leading by no less than six points over the course of the period.
     Rio kept its momentum going early in set four and enjoyed a 10-8 cushion after a kill by Katelynn Coey, but MVNU reeled off the next four winners to take a lead it would never relinquish the rest of the way.
     The RedStorm did score consecutive points after the Cougars' go-ahead spurt to forge a 12-12 tie, but never regained the lead.
     MVNU finished with a .182 swing percentage and was led by Lyssi Snouffer's 19 kills. Libby Evanshine and Faith Maloney added 16 and 10 kills, respectively, in the winning effort.
     Reagan Nuss had 44 assists to pace the Cougars, while Jaelyn Tang had 15 digs and four service aces and Abbey Niemesh totaled four block assists.
     Rio Grande finished with 46 kills and 29 errors in 139 attacks for a .122 swing percentage.
     Senior Amanda Rarick (Canal Winchester, OH) had 11 kills and sophomore Kelli Stewart (Waverly, OH) finished with 10, while junior Elle McLoughlin (Zanesville, OH) had 36 assists and 13 digs.
     Sophomore Jenna Harrison (Gallipolis, OH) had 17 digs for the RedStorm and sophomore Averie Bruce (Baltimore, OH) tallied four block assists.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Friday night when it faces Kentucky Christian University and Cumberland (Tenn.) University in the opening round of its own Emileigh Jo Cooper Memorial Classic. Match times are set for 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.