JOPLIN , MO (SNS) - Missouri Southern State University Speech and Debate Squad competed in the Annual Gorlock Gala Debate tournament Jan. 26-29 at Webster University in St. Louis.

A total of 78 tournament debaters in the Lincoln-Douglas debate division. Additionally, there were 95 parliamentary debaters in the parliamentary debate division from 38 colleges and universities representing sixteen states.

At the tournament in the Lincoln Douglas debate, Michael Baca, sophomore from Neosho, and Dylan Slagel, sophomore from Aurora, qualified for elimination rounds. Slagel was defeated in the double octo-final round on a 2-1 decision. Baca went to the quarterfinal round before losing to a debater from Creighton University.

In novice parliamentary debate, Carthage freshman Matt Templeton and Cassville freshman David Reed qualified for elimination rounds. The MSSU team went to the semi-final before dropping a 2-1 decision. David Reed also won a Second Place Individual Speaker Award.

The team is now off until this weekend when they travel to Washburn University for the Spring Capitol Classic Feb. 3-4 according to Kelly B. Larson, Forensics Director at Missouri Southern.

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