JOPLIN, Mo. – The Marisa Compton era is in full effect as the Jets opened their season with two wins Friday at the 2022 Missouri Southern Invite. Newman swept Southwestern Oklahoma State and followed that dominant performance with a come from behind five set victory over William Jewell.

The Jets are now 2-0 while the SWOSU Bulldogs sit at 0-2. William Jewell finds themselves behind the eight as they have dropped the first two matches of their season.

Game 1

The untrained eye can easily see the Jets bring the offense. Returning power arm Salome Romp and outside hitter Riley Daugherty, while adding in transfers Ozioma Ajekwu in the middle and Hannah Brisco on the right side, has the Jets poised to run with the best teams all season long.

One question remained for the Jets, defense. In the first match of the day, the Jets dug 65 balls from the Bulldogs, blocked seven attacks and recorded zero receiving errors. The passing was on point for all three sets.

The offense was spearheaded by Romp and Daugherty with 13 kills a piece. McKinzie Weaver assisted 35 of the Jets 47 kills. The back row was commanded by returning libero Natalie Morales who led NU with 19 digs.

Game 2

Newman needed all five sets to put away William Jewell. WJC would not go down easy. The Jets trailed 2 sets to one entering the fourth set.

NU jumped out to a 12-3 lead and stretched it to 10 at 15-5 and did not yield the lead the remainder of the set, leading to a decisive fifth set.

Newman pulled out the victory with the final two being awarded to the Jets on two attack errors by the Cardinals.

Riley Daugherty swung the big arm in the second match. She hit .290 while recording 22 kills to lead all Jet hitters. Abby Borough added 13 kills while Hannah Brisco trailed Borough with 11 kills of her own. McKinzie Weaver was gelling with her hitters as she had 61 of the 62 assists that set up the offense to bring down WJC. Natalie Morales led the Jets again with 24 digs while Salome Romp left her mark on the second match with 16 digs.

The Jets will stay overnight in Joplin as they head back to Leggett & Platt Athletic Center for two matches against the likes of Northwestern Oklahoma State and Truman State.