PARKVILLE, Mo. – Missouri Baptist put together a well-fought opposition to the No. 11 team in the nation on Thursday in the American Midwest Conference semifinals, but came out on the losing end to the Park Pirates 3-1.
The Spartans played well from the outset, but ran into a strong, motivated Park squad looking to clinch a direct trip to the NAIA National Championship Final Site. Hannah Carey posted four kills and an ace in the set, but MBU was no match for Wanessa Siqueira in the first. The right-side hitter out of Rio de Janerio was outstanding with five kills, five digs, three block assists and a .385 attack percentage as she led the Pirates to a 25-19 victory.
MBU looked good early in the second set. Though Park led throughout, the Spartans brought it to within one at 9-8 until the Pirates began to pull away and took an 18-10 lead.
Missouri Baptist kept fighting, however. The Spartans put together a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to 19-15, but that was as close as it got. The Pirates put together its own 6-2 run to take the second set 25-17.
In the third set, MBU turned the match on its head. The Spartans put together one of its strongest sets this season, led by the big-time play of Ally Krus. The Spartan setter had perhaps her best game of her young college career with 17 assists and kept the Pirates off-balance. Maddy Hammack was also fantastic with five kills on nine swings as Missouri Baptist posted a 25-17 win.
MBU put-up the first two points of set four, but Park answered quickly and decisively. The Pirates went on an 8-0 run to give themselves an 8-2 run. The Spartans were never able to recover from the deficit in a 25-18 loss.
MBU was led on the night by Krus and Hammack. Krus finished the night with 44 assists (11 per set average) while Hammack recorded 12 kills to lead the Spartan offense.
The Pirates were led by Wanessa Siqueira and Juliana Barros. Siqueira posted 25 kills on the night while Barros, the setter, recorded 45 assists.
The loss will end the Spartan season with a record of 27-7 after the team spent the majority of the year in the Tachikara-NAIA Coaches' Top 25.
