Columbia, Mo. – The 5^th-ranked Cougar Volleyball team earned a huge victory over 9^th-ranked Park University tonight, defeating the Pirates by scores of 27-25, 13-25, 20-25, 25-14, and 15-8. Columbia improves to 19-5 and 8-1 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) with the victory. The loss snaps the Pirates nine game winning streak and drops the team to 19-6 and 6-1 in league play.

The Cougars rushed out to a 6-1 lead to begin set one, but the Pirates would work their way back to go ahead 9-7. The teams battled for points throughout the rest of the set as the score would be tied nine different times.

With the Cougars down 21-20, the Pirates used a 3-0 run to go up 24-20 looking to put the game away, but a service ace by Mikah Simpson and three Park errors tied the game back up at 24. The teams traded points from there and with the score tied at 25, a kill by Penny Liu and an attack error by the Pirates allowed the Cougars to pull away with the first set win.

Columbia led 7-4 in set two, but the Pirates came back and eventually tied the game at 10. Park used a 9-1 run with the help of six Cougar errors, and never trailed from there, taking the second set 25-13 to tie the match.

The third set was different than the first two as it was the Pirates this time whom took the early lead. The Cougars never led in the set despite tying the game two different times as Park would win set three 25-20, to go up 2-1 in the match.

The Cougars bounced back in set four and jumped out to a 6-2 lead. Park worked to cut the deficit and eventually made it a one point game at 11-10. Columbia scored eight straight points from there to extend their lead to nine. Park was unable to work their way back as Columbia would force a game five winning set four 25-14.

Columbia led 10-4 in the final game and would go on to win the match with a 15-8 fifth set win.

The Cougars finished with 63 kills, led by Liu with a season-high 28. Maria Franco, Amber Graham, and Polina Severina added eight kills apiece. Sashiko Heredia led all players with 54 assists and Simpson contributed 15 digs and five service aces.

Prior to tonight's games four seniors were recognized including Simpson, Severina, Graham, and Viktoriia Lavrenchenko.

The Cougars return to the court this weekend as they head to Georgetown, Ky. to participate in the 2015 Boneyard Brawl hosted by Georgetown College. On October 23^rd, Columbia will take on St. Catherine College (Ky.) at 1:00 p.m. followed by No. 18 Georgetown College at 7:00 p.m. On day two, the Cougars will face No. 7 Viterbo University (Wisc.) at 10:00 a.m. and wrap up play against No. 23 Indiana Wesleyan University at 1:00 p.m.