Fayette, Mo. - In a battle of two of the top teams in the Heart South Division, the No. 10 Central Methodist volleyball team claimed the first two sets over Heart newcomer Park University, before the No. 5 Pirates won the next three sets to edge CMU (25-15, 25-16, 25-27, 22-25, 13-15), Friday night in Puckett Fieldhouse. 

Central falls to 7-3 and 5-3 in conference play, while Park improves to 9-0 and 7-0 in the Heart. 

The Eagles jumped out front early, winning the first two sets convincingly, 25-15 and 25-16. Central nearly took the match in the third, leading 24-22, before Park extended the set and ultimately winning 27-25.

The fourth and fifth sets were back and forth battles between the two powerhouses, as Park edged the Eagles in the fourth, before taking the match in the fifth, 15-13. 

Jordan Wolfe and Grace Stumbaugh led the offense with 16 kills apiece, while Callie Henson collected 15 and Shea Luby added 10. Krystal Brauner led the match with 31 digs, followed by Luby who collected 17. Shannon Peters also picked up nine digs and dished out 25 assists, nearly earning a double-double. 

Elise Hardesty-Irvin led the Eagles with 31 assists, her second-highest total of the season. On the defensive side of the net, Wolfe, Stumbaugh, Anna Wolf, and Henson all finished the evening with two solo blocks each. Stumbaugh also added four block assists while Delaney Miller picked up three. 

Brauner picked up two service aces, followed by Peters and Hardesty-Irvin with one apiece. 

Overall, the Eagles' defense held Park to a 0.168 hitting percentage and 29 attack errors. Central finished the evening with a hitting percentage of 0.283. 

CMU will make the short drive to face Missouri Valley College on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Marshall, Mo. The Eagles won the earlier matchup between the two sides on Sept. 22 by scores of (25-15, 29-27, 25-20) in Fayette. 

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