ST. LOUIS – The No. 5-ranked Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball team picked up where it left off in November turning University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy into its latest victim of a Spartan sweep. MBU made quick work of the Eutectics in Wednesday's non-conference tilt at the Carl & Deloris Petty SRC, winning by set scores of 25-13, 25-15, 25-14.
The Spartans dominated in nearly every facet of the match – hitting, serving, passing, you name it. MoBap held a 46-24 advantage in kills, outhit the Eutectics .402 to .110, had 12 service aces to UHSP's 2 and out-dug the visitors, 39-31.
The first set started off with a bang as outside hitter
Emma Lattimore and middle blocker
Sara Klunder posted 6 kills and 4 kills, respectively, while the trio of
Manuela Vargas (2),
Maria Hanusik (2) and
Ariana Macies (3) combined for seven aces from the service line.
MBU had its most efficient set of the day in frame No. 2 producing 12 kills on 22 swings. The Spartans' .455 hitting percentage, paired with UHSP's struggles (8 K, 9 E, -0.040 %) was the recipe for a 25-15 set win. Individually, NAIA All-American
Isidora Stojovic replicated the team's second-set efficiency with 4 kills and no errors on 5 total swings.
The 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Serbia really took off in the final set pacing the Spartans with 9 kills in the third set alone to go along with 5 digs. On the afternoon, Stojovic finished with a match-best 13 kills on .458 hitting and 7 digs.
Also reaching double digit kills for the Spartans was
Emma Lattimore, who recorded 10 kills, a .421 hitting percentage and two of the team's 12 service aces. Starting setter
Manuela Vargas averaged 11 assists/set and added three service aces, 4 digs and 2 block assists to her totals, while setter
Shannon McLain posted 13 assists in the third set.
With the straight-set victory, Missouri Baptist (11-1, 6-0 AMC) pushed its streak without dropping a set to 31 and has rattled off 10 consecutive sweeps. Within the confines of the Petty Sports & Recreation Complex and Lacey Gymnasium, MBU has won 21 straight and will look to build on that longstanding streak this Friday with two marquee matchups against No. 25 Columbia College (10-3, 4-1 AMC) at 2 p.m. and No. 12 Bellevue University (5-1, 4-0 NSAA) at 7 p.m.
