Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College volleyball team was back in action today, this time for non-conference action against the Statesmen of William Penn University. The Cougars took the first two sets before coming-back in dramatic fashion to take the third and final set, giving Columbia the 3-0 win and improving their winning-streak to 14. 

The first set was back-and-forth until an error from the Statesmen and a kill from Sude Gundogan gave the Cougars a four-point lead, 14-10. The Cougars continued to hold their lead as the Statesmen committed three unforced errors, putting Columbia up 18-14. Camila Espejo's defense against the Statesmen helped the Cougars to take a 20-15 lead, forcing William Penn to take their second timeout of the set. Three quick points from WPU closed the Columbia lead to 20-18, prompting the Cougars to take their first timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, Beyza Bektasoglu and Danielle Prior each scored to put Luisa Ferreira at the service line up 23-20. A service ace from Ferreira put Columbia at set point, 24-20, but an error from the Cougars and a kill from the Statesmen closed the gap to 24-22. Columba took their second timeout of the set before another error from William Penn gave the Cougars the first set win, 25-22. 

The Statesmen took a quick lead in the second set before Sude Gundogan and Beyza Bektasoglu propelled the Cougars to an 12-9 lead. Errors from Columbia let William Penn tie the score at 14-14, but another kill from Sude Gundogan stopped the Statesmen scoring run. Two blocks from Abby Massengill put the Cougars up 17-15 when William Penn took their first timeout of the second set. The Statesmen used the timeout to gain momentum, as they would score the next three points in-a-row before an error stopped the run at 18-18. A service ace from Magdalena Bostal followed by a block from Danielle Prior forced another William Penn timeout as Columbia had taken a 21-19 lead. Magdalena Bostal served-out the final four points of the set for a 25-19 Columbia win. 

William Penn started hot in the third set, taking a 9-4 lead and then another lead at 12-7. The Cougars struggled on both offense and defense and gave up a 16-9 lead to the Statesmen. More tough offense from William Penn extended their lead to 18-11 when a timeout from Columbia was called to try to gain some momentum. The Cougars began to chip-away at the deficit and closed the Statesmen lead to 20-17. After a William Penn timeout, a kill from Allana Capella and an attacking error from the Statesmen brought the Cougars to within one, 19-20. Allana Capella and Danielle Prior continued to exert their offensive prowess and helped to tie the score at 22-22. Sude Gundogan put the Cougars up by one with a kill, 23-22. The Cougars got to match point after an error from William Penn. Allana Capella sealed match with a kill to take the third set, 25-22.