ST. LOUIS ­– No. 1-ranked Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball (18-3, 4-0 AMC) won its 18^th consecutive match blanking AMC opponent Harris-Stowe State Tuesday night at the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports & Recreation Complex. The Spartans remain undefeated at home this season following a 25-11, 25-12, 25-12 sweep of the Hornets, who have not won a conference match since November 2017.
 
MBU registered its fifth straight sweep and has now won 17 consecutive sets heading into its American Midwest Conference showdown on Thursday at Park University, the defending national champion and currently ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll. First serve in Parkville, Mo. at the Breckon Sports Center is set for 6 p.m.
 
Harris-Stowe was unable to get anything going offensively on Tuesday and was limited by the Spartans to a -.100 hitting percentage. In fact, MoBap supplied the Hornets more points via errors (21) than HSSU totaled in kills (13).
 
Despite a season-low in kills (30), the Spartans more than made up for it at the service line with 17 aces on the night. The 17 service aces mark the most in a single match since Aug. 22, 2015 when the Spartans hung 19 on Central Baptist College.
 
Three-time AMC Attacker of the Week Caterina Cigarini took control of Set 1 with a team-best five kills on seven swings (.714) and a block, while teammate Isidora Stojovic pitched in 3 kills and a service ace. The Spartans won the first set with ease, defeating HSSU by a score of 25-11.
 
A rough start to Set Two found Missouri Baptist chipping away at a 6-2 deficit. A five-point swing occurred and the Spartans finally gained their first lead of the set at 8-7. Following a Megan Williams kill, freshman Lisanne van Houwelingen went on to serve eight more times with four of them resulting in a service ace. MBU stretched its lead to 17-7 and closed out the set scoring five of the last six points. Senior Megan Williams and freshman Carlee Wise combined for 8 kills and a .428 hitting % in the second set.
 
The Spartans once again had to climb back from a slow start in Set 3. In similar fashion, MBU used strong serving and extended runs to pad the lead. Senior defensive specialist Kamden Maas registered a trifecta of service aces and served seven straight in an 8-0 run. The next big run by the Spartans came late in the set with freshman setter Kaili Smith at the service line. At 20-10, Smith registered a kill and then provided three aces in a row to get the Spartans to match point. MBU won the set, 25-12.
 
Individual leaders for the Spartans included Megan Williams in kills (6), Caterina Cigarini in hitting % (.714), Morgan Berry in assists (10), Lisanne van Houwelingen in service aces (4), Ariana Macies and Nicole Bott in digs (5) and Carlee and Raylyn Dodd in blocks (2).