PITTSBURG – For the second consecutive match, the Gorilla Volleyball team took its opponent to five sets. This time, the Gorillas came out on the winning end with a 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 25-23, 16-25, 15-4) victory over Emporia State on Saturday (October 22) in John Lance Arena. 

Maggie Highberger led the Gorillas with 16 kills and 16 digs for her second double-double in a row. Zoey Qi added 13 kills. Lauren Regier was just short of double figures with nine. Cal VanBuskirk had 45 of the team's 49 assists and added eight digs. Ashlen Schwartz shared the lead in digs with Highberger with 16, while Taylor Wright recorded 13. 

After a 10-point loss in the first set, the Gorillas battled through to win the second set. Pitt State built up to a five-point, 8-3 lead, due in part to back-to-back aces from Lauren Maisberger. Pitt State's largest lead came at 15-7 on an Emporia State service error. From there, the Hornets started to work their way back into the game, first coming within two at 18-16. The Gorillas went on a three-point run to build their lead back up to five. Pitt State kept at least a three-point lead from then on to win the set 25-21. 

Set three was close, but Pitt State had the lead from the start and was able to hold off an Emporia State run at the end of the set. The Gorillas started the set on a 6-0 run behind the serve of Maggie Highberger. The team's largest lead first came at 19-9 on a Maisberger service ace. The Hornets crept back into the game, including a 7-1 run. A kill by Regier put Pitt State up 24-19, but Emporia State held off match point four times before Taylor Unke put down a kill for the win. \

The Hornets tied the match with a 25-16 win in set four. They led the set from wall to wall, including a 10-0 run from 9-8 to 19-8.

The Gorillas came out with a vengence in set five. They hit .522 for the set with 13 kills and only one error. The Gorillas started the set with three unanswered points. After allowing a Hornet point, the Gorillas went on 5-0 run behind the serve of Schwartz. The teams traded points, then Erika Ivkov put down a kill to give the Gorillas back the serve. With Wright at the serve, Pitt State added four more points to get to match point, 14-3. The Gorillas' lone error of the set gave Emporia State their fourth and final point before a VanBuskirk dump gave the Gorillas the win. 

Pitt State topped the Hornets in nearly every statistical category. tallying 56 kills, 49 assists, six service aces and 70 digs. Emporia State had a slightly better hitting percentage, .173 to .135 and outblocked the Gorillas, 8.5 to 3.0. 

PSU returns to action next weekend at home. The team will celebrate its four seniors, Lana DaSilva, Maggie Highberger, Ashlen Schwartz and Taylor Wright on Friday (October 28) as the Gorillas take on Lindenwood at 6 p.m.