ST. LOUIS – The No. 1-ranked Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball team ran into a buzzsaw Friday in a top-five showdown with No. 5 Midland University. For the second year in a row, the Warriors toppled the defending national champions and handed the Spartans their first loss of the year in each instance. MBU was swept 26-24, 25-16, 25-12 in the 2022 MBU Spartan Invitational finale.
 
With the loss, the Spartans' program-record 35 match winning streak and NAIA's longest active streak comes to an end. Exactly a year ago today marks MBU's last losses at the hands of No. 3 Midland and No. 9 Viterbo at the V-Hawk's Invitational.
 
As expected, the opening set was highlighted by 14 ties, several lead changes and late set heroics from the Spartans. Down by as much as six, Missouri Baptist went on a 5-1 run to tie the set at 24-24. Unfortunately, the momentum was halted by the Warriors with back-to-back kills from freshman rightside hitter Lauren Williams to give No. 5 Midland a 1-0 leg up in the match.
 
What wasn't expected was a lopsided ensuing set. The Warriors racked up 17 kills and hit .400 in Set Two, while the Spartans struggled offensively with seven errors and failed to hit above .100 (.091). Despite another late 5-1 run, this time, it was far too little too late for the Spartans. MU took Set Two with ease, 25-16.
 
Hopes of a turnaround in Set Three went away quickly when the Warriors kicked off the set on a 6-0 run. Midland had twice as many kills in the third set (14-7) and again held the Spartans under .100 to cruise to a 25-12 win.
 
Emma Lattimore finished with a double-double leading MBU in kills (10) and digs (12). Other notable performances included Sara Klunder with eight kills and three blocks, Shannon McLain with 16 assists and two blocks, and Maria Hanusik with 12 digs.
 
The Spartans will have to quickly put the loss behind them as they head to Columbia, Mo. on Saturday to take on 16^th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University and (RV) Evangel University at the CC Hampton Inn Classic.