ST. LOUIS – No. 2-ranked Missouri Baptist women's volleyball improved its record at home to 12-0 with a straight-set victory over AMC foe Lindenwood University-Belleville on Tuesday. On the way to their 10^th sweep inside of R. Alton Lacey Gymnasium this season, the Spartans won by scores of 25-16, 25-20, 25-20.
 
Tuesday's triumph marked the 15^th consecutive win at home dating back to last year. The Spartans' last loss at the Petty SRC came against eventual national champion and No. 1-ranked Park (Mo.) on October 26, 2018.
 
In a back-and-forth start to the match, the visitors from Belleville, Ill. hung with No. 2 Missouri Baptist up until the midway point of the first set. With the Lynx grabbing a lead at 13-12, the Spartans retaliated with a 5-0 run off a pair of Caterina Cigarini kills, an Isidora Stojovic kill, an LU-B attack error and a Morgan Berry service ace. MBU continued to extend its lead and eventually secured seven of the last eight points in the opening set for a 25-16 win.
 
Lindenwood-Belleville grabbed the momentum early in Set 2 scoring the first two points and jumping out to an 8-2 advantage. Much like the first set, the Spartans bounced back and strung together a big run to halt the Lynx momentum. This time it was in the form of a 7-0 run with defensive specialist Kasia Kaiser serving. The middle blocking duo of Raylyn Dodd and Marina Sanches came through with a pair of big blocks during the stretch. LU-B stayed within reach and even took the lead as late as 18-17, however, the Spartans surged when it mattered most with Cigarini and Stojovic leading the way offensively.
 
After another slow start to the third set, MBU went on a masterful 9-2 run to put the game out of reach. Several Spartans got in on the action in the third set including middles Raylyn Dodd, who added two more blocks, freshman Carlee Wise, who paced the offense with 4 kills and a block assist, and Sarah Bolton, who got a kill while playing front row.
 
On the evening, the Spartans hit .245, while holding the visiting Lynx to a .000 attack percentage. The Spartans held a 37-26 advantage in kills, 8-7 advantage in service aces and 8-5 advantage in blocks, while LU-B edged the MBU in digs, 35-34.
 
Junior outside hitter Isidora Stojovic led the Spartans in kills for the 12^th time this season finishing the match with 10. In two sets played, senior Caterina Cigarini recorded 9 kills with a .571 hitting percentage. Junior Katie Duncan pitched in 7 kills and 7 digs for the Spartans.
 
Setter Morgan Berry once again paced the team in service aces (3) as well as assists (28), while libero Ariana Macies averaged 4.00 digs per set in the match.
 
Senior Night, which represents MBU's final regular-season home match, is set for Thursday night at 6 p.m. as the Spartans host St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Honored before the match around 5:40 p.m. will be nine seniors including Sarah Bolton, Caterina Cigarini, Natalie Hecht, Brilee Henson, Kasia Kaiser, Kamden Maas, Marina Sanches, Megan Williams and JV senior Georgia Park.