SHAWNEE, Kan. – In what could be the last tournament of the 2022 beach volleyball season, Missouri Baptist had a successful run at the first-ever Tri-States Conference Pairs Tournament. Ariana Macies and Isidora Stojovic, who earned First Team All-Conference, headlined the Spartan performances with a third-place finish in the bracket-style pairs tournament.
 
Macies and Stojovic won easily in Round 1, 21-8, 21-8, before rallying for a 19-21, 21-13, 15-7 win over Otttawa's Emily Jackson and Alexa Boyle in Round 2. The Spartan pair stumbled in the semifinal round to OU's Kaitlyn Haller and Madison Wampler, the eventual champions, in a 16-21, 21-13, 8-15 decision. Macies and Stojovic went out on top with a convincing 21-9, 21-7 victory in the third-place match over Ottawa's Randi Johnson and Taylor Mobley.
 
Three sets of MBU pairs were named Second Team All-Conference including Nathiellen Machado / Giovanna Tapigliani, Maria Hanusik / Calista Morais, and Natalie Edson / Marina Obradovic. All three pairs went 2-1 on the day opening with Round 1 wins, falling in the second round, and registering 2-0 wins in their Round 3 matchups.
 
One of the more intriguing third round matches was Maria Hanusik and Calista Morais squaring off against teammates Kaili Smith and Kirsten van der Vleuten. Hanusik and Morais won the battle between the Spartans, 21-9, 21-13.
 
Smith and van der Vleuten recorded a win in the consolation bracket and were named Third Team All-Conference. One other accolade that Missouri Baptist brought home was Assistant Coach of the Year, awarded to Ana Oliveira.