ST. LOUIS – In its toughest test yet, the top-ranked Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball team passed with flying colors taking down No. 9 Viterbo University and (RV) Lindsey Wilson College in straight sets on Thursday. Neither opponent eclipsed 20 points in any set as MBU opened Day One of the Spartan Invitational with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-18 rout of Viterbo and later took care of Lindsey Wilson, 25-15, 25-18, 25-16.
The pair of sweeps improve the Spartans' record to 6-0 and stretches the program-best winning streak to 35 matches. Missouri Baptist's win over Viterbo was significant because the Spartans avenged last year's 3-0 loss to the V-Hawks in Wisconsin. That loss happens to be the last time the back-to-back NAIA national champs dropped a contest.
On Friday, the Spartans continue a three-day gauntlet of five matches against teams ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes with a top-five showdown against No. 5 Midland (Neb.). MBU caps off the weekend at the Columbia College Hampton Inn Classic and will play No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan and (RV) Evangel.
Junior
Sara Klunder continues to be a focal point of the Spartan attack as the middle blocker once again led the team in scoring in both matches with 10 kills, six blocks, and two aces against Viterbo, and a career-high 16 kills and .583 hitting against Lindsey Wilson. Klunder's middle-blocking partner
Kirsten van der Vleuten, also had a productive day with 11 kills on 15 swings (.600) and five blocks (2 solo).
MBU certainly showcased its depth on Thursday as 14 players contributed. For starters,
Emma Lattimore averaged eight kills, 12 digs, and 2.5 blocks per contest, while libero
Rachel Kinney had a breakout performance vs. Lindsey Wilson collecting 17 digs and a match-best three service aces. In addition, several Spartans made an impact off the bench, including
Carlee Wise and
Marina Obradovic with seven kills apiece vs. LWC,
Luiza Goncalves with 21 assists and three blocks across the two matches, and
Natalie Edson with eight digs on the day.
Overall, the Spartans hit .283 against the V-Hawks and put a kibosh on VU's attack limiting the visitors to a .081 attack % in the tournament opener. In MBU's second outing of the day, the Spartans improved their efficiency, hitting .339% with 51 kills. Defensively, Missouri Baptist held Lindsey Wilson to a .112 hitting clip, and not one Blue Raider reached double-digit kills.
