CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – The No. 10-ranked Missouri Baptist University beach volleyball program kicked off the season with three straight tournaments and finished the regular season with three consecutive matches against nearby NCAA Division I programs. On Friday, the Spartans dropped a pair of contests on the road to Missouri State University – 5-0 and 4-1 – but bounced back in a big way on Monday with a 4-1 win over Eastern Illinois University.
At No. 1 doubles,
Ariana Macies and
Isidora Stojovic represented the lone win against Missouri State. The two kept things rolling on Monday against EIU with another win at the No. 1 flight over Ashley Sharkus and Takenya Stafford, 21-16, 21-17.
Following up their four-win performance at the Ottawa Tournament,
Maria Hanusik and
Calista Morais teamed up for a 21-15, 21-10 win at No. 3s.
The Spartans went 1-1 in matches that extended into a third set with Eastern Illinois' lone win coming at No. 2 doubles. At 4s,
Kaili Smith and
Kirsten van der Vleuten won handily in Set One, 21-8, were edged out 21-19 in Set Two, before taking the deciding set, 16-14.
MBU also won at No. 5s with
Natalie Edson and
Marina Obradovic – 21-13, 21-14 – and in the exhibition match with
Sara Klunder and
Tessa Schneider – 21-17, 21-15.
Before the Spartans learn their fate for the NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball National Invitational, they will head back to Shawnee, Kan. next week on Wednesday for the Tri-State Conference Pairs Tournament.
