PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – Missouri Baptist University Women's Volleyball closed out the Troll Classic with two more sweeps of competition on Saturday, defeating Spring Arbor University, 25-13, 25-15, 25-14, and host Trinity Christian College, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18. The fourth-ranked Spartans left the Windy City with four straight-set wins pushing the team's sweep streak to nine and overall win streak to 10.
 
MBU's run without dropping a set now sits at 29, with the last set loss coming nearly a month ago in the Spartans' 3-1 win at home over NCAA DII Maryville University (Sept. 14). With the perfect weekend in Palos Heights, Missouri Baptist improved to 19-2 overall.
 
With no AMC matches scheduled for the upcoming week, the Spartans will return home to host the MBU Classic on Friday and Saturday, which features non-conference opponents Cumberland University, St. Ambrose University, and Trinity International University. Matches are scheduled for 4 and 6 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. on Saturday. For the full MBU Classic schedule, click here.
 
(4) Missouri Baptist University def. Spring Arbor University, 3-0 [25-13, 25-15, 25-14]
Graduate transfer Rachel Kinney got things started for the Spartans with half of her match-best 12 kills coming in the 25-13 opening-set win. However, MBU had to overcome some early errors to finish the frame outscoring the Cougars 15-5. The Spartans hit .458 in Set One as a group while holding SAU to a -.083 clip (5 K, 7 E, 24 TA).
 
MoBap used separate 8-0 and 5-0 runs to take Set Two, 25-15. Held under their season kills per set average, the Spartans found other avenues for points, including four blocks and three service aces.
 
Despite another error-ridden start to a set, No. 4-ranked Missouri Baptist similarly finished the match to Set One with a 15-5 run.
 
The MBU defense was very stout, led by Kinney and Emma Lattimore with 10 digs apiece and Nathiellen Machado with six digs in just one set of action. The Spartans finished with a 48-33 advantage in digs, didn't surrender a service ace, and held the Cougars to 15 kills and a negative hitting percentage (-.034%).
 
Joining Kinney in double-digit kills was junior middle blocker Sara Klunder, with 10 to go along with three blocks (1 S, 2 A).
 
(4) Missouri Baptist University def. Trinity Christian College, 3-0 [25-21, 25-19, 25-18]
In the tournament finale, MBU was in con"troll" for most of the match, never trailing Trinity Christian in Sets 1 & 3 and only falling behind by three to begin Set Two.
 
Several Spartans stepped up throughout the match. In Set One, it was the blocking of freshman Kassie Lee, the serving of Marina Obradovic and Tessa Schneider, and the attack of Sara Klunder. Strong serving (5 aces), a balanced attack from Kirsten van der Vleuten, Emma Lattimore, Kaili Smith, and Obradovic, and 14 assists from Shannon McLain, highlighted the second set. In her only action, Rachel Kinney provided the spark offensively in the final set with six kills on 14 swings (.357).
 
Stat leaders against the Trolls included van der Vleuten, Kinney, and Obradovic with six kills apiece, McLain with 26 assists, Obradovic and Schneider with 4 and 3 service aces, respectively, Syan Larmond with four blocks, and Emma Lattimore with 11 digs.