The Central Methodist University volleyball team was hindered by errors, and was unable to keep pace with a taller MidAmerica Nazarene University team, as the Lady Eagles lost in straight sets 11-25, 11-25, 15-25 to the Pioneers Tuesday night.

After dropping the first two sets by matching scores of 11-25, Central Methodist played evenly with MNU to start the third set. A block by senior Taylor Reed (Toledo, Ohio) and freshman Katie Willits (Independence, Mo.) tied the score at 6-6. MidAmerica Nazarene answered with three points in a row to take a 9-6 lead, before three straight kills by Reed tied the score at 9-9. The Pioneers regained the lead and quickly made it 12-9 before a kill by Willits cut the lead to 12-10. MNU again went on a scoring run to extend its lead to 17-10. After the Pioneers made it 19-11, back-to-back kills by sophomore Makenzie Shepard (Leavenworth, Kan.) and junior Jennifer Garrett (Higginsville, Mo.) brought CMU to within 19-13, but MidAmerica Nazarene closed out the match with a 6-2 run to win 25-15.

MidAmerica Nazarene scored eight of the final nine points of the first set to pull away for the 25-11 win. In the second set, MNU jumped out to a 13-6 lead. After Central Methodist cut the lead to 14-8, MidAmerica Nazarene scored seven straight points to extend the lead to 21-8 before winning 25-11.

Reed led CMU offensively with seven kills. Junior Sarah Lewey (Kansas City, Mo.) posted 12 assists, and senior Melanie Touchette (Millstadt, Ill.) had a team-high six digs.

The Lady Eagles dropped to 3-9 on the season and 0-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. MidAmerica Nazarene improved to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the HAAC. Central Methodist will look for its first conference win of the season Sept. 27 when the team travels to Baldwin City, Kan., to face Baker University in a 7 p.m. match.