COLUMBIA, Mo. – After having won seven straight contests against Columbia College from 2019 to 2021 including two at home last year, the fourth-ranked Missouri Baptist women's volleyball team have run into back-to-back buzzsaws on the road in Columbia this season. On Thursday, the Spartans fell in four sets to No. 23 Columbia by scores of 27-29, 24-26, 25-16, 25-21.
 
Columbia has now dealt Missouri Baptist two of its three losses on the season as the Spartans drop to 22-3 overall and 5-1 in the AMC. Undefeated in conference at 5-0, the Cougars have jumped into the driver's seat in the AMC Volleyball standings and improved to 19-9 on the year.
 
The Spartans were well within reach in each of their set losses. In the opening frame, Columbia and MoBap both had moments of brilliance with big momentum swings. MBU took control in the middle of the set with a 7-0 run aided by three service aces and strong serving from Maria Hanusik. Up 20-14, Missouri Baptist allowed CC to claw back within one and the two squads struggled to close with six different set points. The Cougars took Set One, 29-27, following a pair of MBU attack errors to end the set.
 
Despite 18 kills in the second set, the Spartans were unable to make a move past Columbia. MBU's Sara Klunder and Gabi Jakubowska teamed up for 11 kills in the set and helped force extra points with a late surge. The Cougars had set point at 24-21 before a string of Spartan kills and an Ellie Rockers attack to knot the second game at 24-all. Once again, Columbia capitalized with the home crowd behind them and edged MoBap in extra points, 26-24.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Spartans answered with a masterful 25-16 win in Set Three. Klunder led MBU with five kills in the set and helped the team to a red-hot .577 hitting percentage while holding the Cougars to a match-low .040%.
 
Looking to force a tiebreaker set, the Spartans carried over the momentum early on jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Very similar to Set One, the two teams traded points back and forth with 11 ties in the fourth set. No. 4-ranked MBU led as late as 16-15, however, the Cougars' 3-0 run to take a 20-17 lead did the Spartans in for good.
 
The strong play from middles Sara Klunder (16 K, .314%, 3 B) and Carlee Wise (8 K, .389%, 2 B), and a career high from freshman opposite hitter Gabi Jakubowska (15 K, .353% 3 B) was not enough in the 3-1 loss.
 
Other notable performances included Maria Hanusik, who tied a career high in service aces (5) and also tied for a match-best 14 digs with teammate Nathiellen Machado and CC's Ellie Rockers. Junior setter Shannon McLain tied a career-high in assists (50), which she set earlier this year in the Southwell Complex against Ottawa (Kan.).