ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] The Missouri Baptist men's volleyball team was pushed to the brink, but came out with the 3-1 (25-27, 25-18, 25-17, 25-15) victory against McKendree University on Monday night.

The teams battled back and forth with 16 ties until the Bearcats pulled ahead to swipe the match from the Spartans.

MBU came out in set two with a new fire and held the lead through the entirety of the set. The Spartans held McKendree to a -0.235 hitting percentage in the set with only two kills.

Missouri Baptist again held the momentum at the start of the third set, but the Bearcats crept back into the game. The Spartans, however, regained control and closed out the set 25-17.

MBU got off to a slow start in the fourth set, but quickly took the lead and held the Bearcats to their lowest hitting percentage of the night of -0.143. With a stuff block, Kyle Foley and Shane Welch closed out the set 25-15.

Outside hitters Mico Janicijevic and Chris Flood led the Spartans in the four set victory with a combine 39 kills on the night. Janicijevic ended the game with an 0.581 hitting percentage off of 21 kills, 31 total attempts, and three errors. Middle blocker, Welch, recorded a .500 hitting percentage with five kills on 10 total attempts and no errors.

The Spartans will spend the next few days preparing for the Spartan Invitational on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. MBU will face four ranked teams (No. 3 Concordia – Irvine, No. 5 Grand View, No. 6 St. Ambrose, and No. 10 Lourdes University) in the tournament.