ST. LOUIS – The Billikens bested Kansas City to improve to 7-3 and stay undefeated at home in a five-set, reverse sweep thriller on Friday night at Chaifetz Pavilion.
 
SLU is 5-0 at home to start the season for the first time since 2011, when head coach Andrea Beaty-Cain was a member of the Billiken volleyball team.
 
SET 1: SLU 17, KC 25
Kansas City opened the match on a 7-3 run before Saint Louis rallied to take a 9-8 lead after back-to-back errors from the Roos. That was the Billikens' only lead of the frame, as KC closed on a 16-8 stretch to take the opener 25-17.
 
SET 2: SLU 23, KC 25
The Billikens jumped ahead early with a pair of Kennedy Cooper kills and a Jetta Brenning ace. SLU continued to trade points down the stretch and pulled within 23-24 on an Ellie Rink kill, but KC edged out the final rally to take a two-set lead.
 
SET 3: SLU 26, KC 24
Saint Louis found its rhythm in the third. After trailing 10-7, the Billikens tied the score at 16 behind steady swings from Irmak Gokcen and Tea Kalajdzic. The Roos reached set point at 24-23, but SLU fought it off with back-to-back kills from Rink to secure the 26-24 win.
 
SET 4: SLU 25, KC 22
The Billikens carried the momentum into the fourth and never trailed after the midway point. Rink, Gokcen, and Kayla Jansen powered the attack, while Chloe Maughan and Tamia Maddox anchored the back row. SLU closed it out 25-22 to force a decisive fifth.
 
SET 5: SLU 17, KC 15
Down 14-11 in the final frame, SLU staged a dramatic comeback. Alivia Bronner's serve sparked a 4-0 run, with Brenning finding Kalajdzic and Rink for timely kills. With the score tied at 15, the Billikens capitalized on back-to-back points, including Rink's match-winner, to seal the reverse sweep 17-15.
 
NOTABLES:

• Irmak Gokcen had a season high 16 kills with two block assists and a solo block.
• Jetta Brenning tallied a career-high 57 assists and added 14 kills for the double-double.
• Tea Kalajdzic posted a season-high 12 kills, hitting .286.
• Kennedy Cooper recorded a career-high 6 kills, plus three block assists and two aces.
• Ellie Rink led all players with 23 kills and chipped in 17 digs for another double-double.
• Chloe Maughan anchored the defense with 21 digs.
• Kayla Jansen hit .435 with 10 kills and 4 blocks.

UP NEXT
The Billikens close out the Missouri Challenge against SEMO on Saturday, September 20 at 3 p.m.