ST. LOUIS – In the third game of the week for the Missouri Baptist men's volleyball team defeated the number one-ranked and undefeated Park Pirates 3-2 on Friday night in their final home game of the year. With the win, MBU moves into first place in the MAMVIC West conference.
The Spartans came out in the first set poised and ready to set the tone of the night. Both teams battled back and forth and had the game tied at 14 until MBU went on a 7-2 run to take control of the game, 21-16. MBU dominated Park and won the set 25-19. It was the best defensive set of the night for MBU as they held the Pirates to under a positive hitting percentage while MBU hit .323 for the set. Robert Esser had 11 assists in the set.
MBU continued the strong play into the second set and built up a 10-7 lead which forced Park to call their first timeout to try and slow down the Spartans. Park came out of the timeout strong and battled back to take a 15-14 lead and forced MBU head coach John Yehling to call a timeout and reenergize the Spartans. Park continued to give MBU trouble and worked the game out to a 20-17 lead and forced MBU to call their second and final timeout. However the Pirates put the Spartans in too big of a hole and won the set 25-19.
In the third set, the Spartans got things back in gear. Both teams battled back and forth until MBU worked out to an 18-13 lead and forced Park to call a timeout and try to settle the set down. The Spartans did not get fazed and continued to take control and win the set 25-20. MBU had a .308 hitting percentage and held Park to a .241 hitting percentage in the set.
The Pirates turn the match back in their favor in the fourth set. They put the Spartans down in a hole to deep for MBU to come back from. Park took the set 25-18 to force a fifth and final set. It was not a good hitting set for either team, as MBU only had a .077 hitting percentage and Park had a .192 percentage in the set.
The fifth and final set was a tough back and forth battle the whole way through. MBU decided to take charge of the set and the match and took down Park 15-12 to win the set and the match. MBU had an impressive .600 hitting percentage for the set.
For the match, MBU had a .318 hitting percentage. Esser had 49 total assists on the night. Danny Traylor had 17 kills with a .333 hitting percentage. Jordan Pinto added 12 kills with a .500 hitting percentage.
The Spartans move to 17-4 on the season and 8-1 in the MAMVIC West. They travel to Parkville, Mo. to battle again with the Park Pirates on Tuesday March 26 for their last game before the MAMVIC West conference tournament. The first serve on Tuesday is set for 6:00 p.m.
