SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In its first match back at the Tyson Events Center as the reigning NAIA Women's Volleyball national champions, the No. 3-ranked Missouri Baptist Spartans picked up a crucial sweep Tuesday morning over 2020 national semifinal opponent and 22^nd-ranked Dordt University. The Spartans got the best of the Defenders in all three tightly contested sets, winning by scores of 25-22, 26-24, and 25-20.
 
With Tuesday's victory in Pool C, MBU extended its winning streak to 25 matches and improved to 29-2 overall. The Spartans are now on the verge of tying the program record for the longest winning streak of 27 matches, set in 2018.
 
The two squads, who have only met in NAIA postseason play in four all-time meetings, provided an exciting match to kick off Day One in Sioux City. Momentum swings were a central theme in the opening set, with MBU taking the first stab. The Spartans built a 10-5 advantage thanks to a 7-1 run, but the hometown darlings evened the match at 14-all. MoBap took its largest lead at 22-16 and once again saw Dordt close the gap. However, the Spartans made the last momentum move and closed out the set with Isidora Stojovic and Raylyn Dodd kills. Stojovic and 2020 NAIA All-Tournament Team selection Giovanna Tapigliani led the team with five kills apiece in the 25-22 Set One win.
 
Set Two was eerily similar in that the Spartans were in control midway through but had to fend off another late Dordt run. Capitalizing on three consecutive DU errors and more timely kills from pin hitter Isidora Stojovic, MBU took a 16-10 lead and stretched the margin to seven at 19-12. Unfortunately, MBU reciprocated with multiple miscues and kept the Defenders squarely in the mix. While the Spartans never trailed late, Dordt tied the set at 23-all and 24-all. Coming through in the clutch for a second straight set, Isidora Stojovic registered a kill for set point and teamed up with Mineral Area College teammate Raylyn Dodd for a block to seal the deal.
 
No. 22 Dordt flipped the script in Set Three, seizing the momentum at the midway point after a back-and-forth start. The Defenders kept a three-point cushion up until 19-16. The rest was history. The Spartans kicked it into overdrive, scoring nine of the subsequent 10 rallies powered by five Tapigliani kills and a pair of blocks.
 
Tapigliani finished the match tied with Stojovic for a match-high 15 kills. Both hitters recorded attack percentages above .400, with the former hitting .448 and the latter hitting .414. Directing the Spartan offense was 2020 NAIA National Championship Most Valuable Player Manuela Vargas, who dished out 43 assists for an impressive 14.33 per set.
 
Fellow 2020 All-Tournament Team selection Ariana Macies led all players with 16 digs to go along with four assists. Joining Macies in double-digit digs was sophomore Maria Hanusik with 11.
 
The Spartans will face No. 14 Central Methodist Wednesday morning on Court 1. The 10:30 a.m. match will mark the second meeting between the two Missouri teams this season, but the first-ever in postseason play. MBU defeated then-No. 11 CMU, 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 25-16 on September 11 at the MBU Spartan Invitational.