(ST. PAUL, Minn.) – It was a bittersweet opening night for the #2 Central Missouri Jennies, as they kick off the season with a dominating win over #9 Wayne State (Neb.), before falling in straight sets to #1 Concordia-St. Paul. The Jennies started off the new season on the right foot, defeating the Wayne State Wildcats in three sets, 28-26, 25-11, 25-18. Senior hitter
Allie Huffman led the Jens with 11 kills and 13 blocks, to record the team's first double-double of the early season. Sophomore
Taylor Goodness also had a large contribution, piling up 10 kills with a .350 hitting percentage.
The Jennies struggled out of the gate, and trailed throughout much of the opening set. UCM did not grab the lead until a four-point run gave them a 14-13 advantage; Huffman supplied three of the four kills to gain control. Wayne State served for set point three times late in the opening game, but junior
Bradye Peniston turned away two of those three chances with a kill and a service ace. Peniston then closed out the set with back-to-back service aces. UCM went on to comfortably take the following two sets for the victory.
Peniston, along with senior
Paula Harris finished the match with eight kills apiece, while sophomore setter
Julia Bates collected 42 assists (14.0 per set).
The tables turned for the Jens in the nightcap, as UCM was able to hit for just .073 in a three-set loss to Concordia-St. Paul, winners of the last four national championships. Harris led the Jennies with nine kills and a .583 hitting percentage. Bates recorded 22 assists on UCM's 39 total points. Defensively, Huffman earned a team-high seven digs.
Central Missouri will head into the second day of action in St. Paul with a 1-1 record; the Jennies are back in action tomorrow morning, as they take on #25 Northern Michigan at 11:00 a.m. The Jennies wrap up their trip to St. Paul later that evening against #6 Southwest Minnesota State, at 5 p.m.
