The Central Methodist University volleyball team won the final two sets to earn a five-set win over Stephens College Monday night. The Lady Eagles won the match 18-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-18, 15-13.

After falling behind 2-1 in the match, Central Methodist played a strong fourth set, grabbing a 14-11 lead midway through the set. Stephens rallied to make the score 14-13 in favor of CMU, but CMU scored two straight to regain a three-point lead. After a CMU serving error made it 16-14, the Lady Eagles scored four of the next five points to take a 20-15 lead. A Stephens kill cut it to 20-16, but a kill by senior Taylor Reed (Toledo, Ohio), an ace serve by senior Melanie Touchette (Millstadt, Ill.), and a block by Reed and junior Sarah Lewey (Kansas City, Mo.) extended the Lady Eagles' lead to 23-16. Stephens recorded back-to-back kills to make it 23-18, before sophomore Makenzie Shepard (Leavenworth, Kan.) and freshman Dana Peters (Waverly, Mo.) closed out the set with back-to-back kills for CMU, forcing a decisive fifth set.

In the final set, the two teams battled point-for-point before back-to-back kills by Reed gave CMU match point at 14-12. Stephens notched a kill to make it 14-13, but after a timeout, a kill by Shepard ended the set at 15-13, and gave CMU the win in the match.

Stephens opened the match strong, taking a quick 5-0 lead in the first set, and later extending it to 7-1. The Lady Eagles closed to within 6-10 after an ace serve by junior Rebecca Edwards (Jefferson City, Mo.) and a kill by Shepard. Stephens maintained at least a four-point lead throughout the remainder of the set, before scoring the final three points of the set for the 25-18 win.

In the second set, CMU led by as many as nine points at 21-12. Stephens scored three straight points to get to within 22-16. CMU answered with a point before another Stephens kill made it 23-17. Peters finished the set with back-to-back kills, bringing CMU even with Stephens 1-1 in the match.

Stephens came out firing again in the third set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead, before extending it to 9-2. Kills by Lewey, Reed and Shepard brought CMU to within 9-5, but Stephens went on a 7-1 scoring run to gain control with a 16-6 lead. The Lady Eagles were unable to rally in the set as Stephens earned the 25-16 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Reed led CMU with 20 kills and four blocks in the match. Peters added a season-high 12 kills, while Shepard finished with 11. Lewey recorded 45 assists in the match. Touchette led CMU defensively with 17 digs, while sophomore Jennifer Garrett (Higginsville, Mo.) finished with 13 and sophomore Kylie Melkersman (Boonville, Mo.) added 12.

Central Methodist improved to 5-13 on the season with the win, while Stephens dropped to 6-11. The Lady Eagles will return to Heart of America Athletic Conference action Wednesday when they travel to Atchison, Kan., to take on Benedictine College. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.