Fayette, Mo. - The Central Methodist Volleyball team saw its season come to an end in the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament Saturday afternoon inside Puckett Field House. 

The Eagles fell to the visiting Valley City State Vikings (N.D.) in four sets by scores of 25-23, 18-25, 25-20, and 25-21. 

It marked the final game for 10 Eagle seniors including; Sydney Healy, Annabelle Maassen, Delaney Miller, Alyssa Smith, Krystal Brauner, Ryleigh McBurney, Addison Butler, Callie Henson, Jessica Mowry, and Danika White. 

Set one was a back and forth affair, as both teams stayed within three points of eachother for a majority of the set. Tied at 22-22, a kill by junior Morgan LeBlanc put the Eagles out in front 23-22. However, the Vikings would score three-straight points including a pair of kills to come back and take set one, 25-23. 

Central turned up the offensive pressure in the second set, finishing with a .438 hitting percentage including 17 kills and only three attack errors. CMU trailed by as many as four points early before tying the set at 12-12 on a kill from Maassen. 

Both teams exchanged points before a service error by Valley City State put Central out in front 14-13. The Eagles closed the set out on an 11-5 scoring run to claim a 25-18 win in set two and tie the match at 1-1. 

VCSU had their best set offensively in the third, as the Vikings hit .391 with 21 kills. Central held a 10-6 lead at one point, before the Vikings trimmed the lead to 10-9. CMU stretched its lead back out to three at 14-11 highlighted by a kill from Healy. 

However, Valley City rattled off three-straight points to tie the set at 14-14. Both teams traded points and remained deadlocked at 19-19. The Vikings then rattled off four straight points to take a 23-19 lead and hold set point. Maassen snapped the drout with a kill, before a kill from VCSU put the set away for Valley City State, 25-20. 

Central continued to battle but found themselves trailing 15-10 midway through set four. The Eagles trailed by three at 20-17 before three consecutive kills from Maassen, Henson, and LeBlanc tied the set at 20-20. 

Valley City State woud rattled of the next four points to take a 24-20 lead. A kill from Maassen made the score 24-21, before the Vikings won the set and the match with a kill. 

Five different Eagles reached double-digit kills, led by LeBlanc who tallied 12. The junior also added three digs and three service aces in the four set match. 

Maassen, Miller and Henson all tallied 10 kills in the final game of their careers. Miller was the most efficient attacker for the Eagles, hitting .421. She also picked up a pair of blocks. 

Maassen also added seven digs, four blocks and three assists while hitting .385. 

Joana Milho was the final Eagle to record double-digit kills with 10 paired with three digs and a block. Gabi Owczarek dished out a team-best 30 assists and nearly recorded a double-double with nine digs. McBurney followed with 24 assists.

Brauner led the team with 31 digs in the final game of her illustrious career, followed by Smith with 12.

The Eagles finish the year with a 22-11 overall record, which includes their sixth consecutive trip to the NAIA National Tournament. 

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