The K-State volleyball team (7-10, 1-6 Big 12 Conference) won its first conference game of the season, beating Missouri (12-7, 4-4) 3-1 Wednesday night in Manhattan.

Coming off a tough seven-game losing streak, head coach Suzie Fritz was pleased to find a win at last.

"I'm just so happy," Fritz said. "We're feeling great. We played really well."

The rest of the team shared her enthusiasm. Outside hitter Kathleen Ludwig said it was motivating to clinch their first conference victory.

"That was pretty much the most fun we've had in a while," Ludwig said. "We're all really happy."

Both K-State and Missouri were at their best, exchanging big hits and digs with energetic runs to keep each team playing hard.

The first set started with the teams trading points back and forth until K-State took the lead with a four-point run. Missouri came back with six straight points, pushing K-State into two separate drives to capture the set 25-21.

Missouri countered in the next set with a series of campaigns to pull ahead 17-11. Eight kills for .533 attack percentage by K-State middle blocker Kelsey Chipman and two aces from libero Lauren Mathewson were not enough to regain the lead as Missouri eventually took the set 25-18.

Returning after intermission to a roaring crowd, the Wildcats set the momentum for the third set by winning multiple long volleys and a six-point run to outplay Missouri for a 25-20 win.

Missouri rebounded by recording an impressive eight-point run to pull ahead with an early lead. Down 9-16, K-State scored a long drive under Mathewson to tie the score at 16-all. Missouri forced side-outs to pick up rally points, but another push from K-State claimed the set 25-22.

Right-side hitter Paola Ampudia led the Tigers with 17 kills for .245, followed by outside hitter Julianna Klein totaling 12 kills for .143. In the back row, Priscilla Armendariz had 24 digs, the highest of the game.

K-State was led offensively by Ludwig, who had 15 kills for .256, with middle blocker Chipman, outside hitter Vanessa Murray and outside hitter JuliAnne Chisholm scoring 13, 12 and 12 kills, respectively.

Defensive specialist Caitlyn Donahue netted 22 digs, a career high. She said she was happy with her performance.

"It feels great," Donahue said. "I felt like I played well in position. I felt like I was in the groove all night."

When asked if K-State could continue its success against rival Kansas this weekend, Ludwig was confident in her team.

"I think that we're just going to carry it through," she said. "I think that right now it's contagious. We really want to feel like this a lot more often." K-State returns to Ahearn Field House Saturday at 1 p.m. to face the Jayhawks.