MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The No. 1-ranked Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball team finished off the St. Thomas University Volleyball Invitational on Saturday with one more sweep and a perfect 4-0 record heading back to St. Louis. The Spartans once again utilized an efficient first set and strong passing throughout to defeat STU, 25-18, 27-25, 25-16.
 
MBU's attack was firing on all cylinders in Set 1 recording 18 kills, a match-best .412 hitting percentage, while sprinkling in three blocks. The Spartans have been able to erase the first-set jitters from Thursday's season opener as they are now hitting .441 in Set 1 over the past three matches. Six different Spartans registered at least two kills led by Giovanna Tapigliani with five.
 
The second set was a battle from start to finish. Tied 20 times, neither team led by more than three points. St. Thomas was the first to reach set point leading 24-23 and again at 25-24. Nonetheless, the Spartans won the last three rallies via a Bobcat ball-handling error, a Tapigliani service ace, and another STU miscue.
 
The NAIA's top-ranked team didn't allow any back-and-forth in Set 3. Jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the Spartans made a big push in the early and middle stages of the set to distance themselves and put the match away. MBU won the final set by a score of 25-16.
 
For the third time in four matches, opposite hitter and 2020-21 AMC Player of the Year Giovanna Tapigliani led the charge for MoBap with 13 kills, while adding 5 digs, 4 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 service ace to her stat line.
 
Each of MBU's starters recorded at least five kills in the match including setter Manuela Vargas, who finished with a double-double of 33 assists and 11 digs to go along with 5 kills. Rounding out the Spartan attack was Raylyn Dodd with eight kills, Sara Klunder and Isidora Stojovic with seven, and Emma Lattimore with six.
 
Defensively, libero Ariana Macies paced the Spartans with 14 digs, followed by Vargas' 11, and Lattimore's nine. As a team, the Spartans yielded zero service aces to the Bobcats with junior Emma Lattimore receiving the lion's share of reception attempts – 45 out of MBU's 57.
 
The Spartans will travel north to Lacrosse, Wisconsin next weekend for the annual invitational which includes NAIA Tournament regulars Viterbo (Wis.), Midland (Neb.) and Grand View (Iowa). Missouri Baptist met two of the three in this spring's 2020 NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship with No. 8 Grand View in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Midland in the championship final. This year's host of the invitational – Viterbo – begins the season at No. 13 in the preseason poll.