WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Trailing 12-8 in set five against No. 24 Grace College, Missouri Baptist University scored seven consecutive points to punch a ticket to the NAIA National Tournament final site beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The resilient Spartans earned a five-set win over the Lancers in Winona Lake, Ind., to secure their trip to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
NAIA Opening Round Recap
The Spartans started on fire in the opening set with a .414 hitting percentage with 15 kills on 29 attempts and three errors. Maiana Coelho found Gabi Jakubowska seven times in the first set for kills to lead a 25-18 set one victory.
MBU tallied 13 kills and 13 attack errors in the second set leading to an eventual loss to tie the match at one. The Lancers were down 24-21 in the frame and went on a 4-0 run to take the lead. Anna Ballengee tallied a kill and a block to end the set 31-29.
Missouri Baptist hit another hot streak in the third set, riding a trio of Luiza Arsufi service aces and a pair of blocks from Kirsten van der Vleuten to a 9-0 run to open up a 14-4 lead. Coelho found Elina Arsov twice to make the score 23-12. One play later, the senior setter found Jakubowska and van der Vleuten to take a 2-1 advantage.
With their backs against the wall, the Lancers hit .355 in the fourth set versus the -.045 from the Spartans. Livia Tate and Jadyn Ross fueled an 8-1 run at the end of the set to complete the frame 25-11.
Looking to complete the comeback win in front of the home crowd, Grace ran out to a 12-8 lead in the fifth and final set. An attack error from Ross put Coelho on the service line, an opportunity she would not give up for the rest of the game.
She found Jakubowska for the 10th point, served up an ace, and found Arsov and Jakubowska again to take a 13-12 lead and force a Lancer timeout. An attack error put Grace on the brink before Jakubowska's 26th kill ended the 7-0 run, the set 15-12, and the match 3-2.
Coelho ended the day with 48 assists and Arsufi paced the Spartans in aces with four. Defensively, Julia Pereira notched 26 digs while van der Vleuten stifled the Lancer attack with seven blocks.
Spartan Stat Leaders
Kills: Gabi Jakubowska (26)
Assists: Maiana Coelho (48)
Hitting %: Elina Arsov (.206)
Aces: Luiza Arsufi (4)
Digs: Julia Pereira (26)
Blocks: Kirsten van der Vleuten (7.0)
Records
(RV) Missouri Baptist: 26-11, 11-0 AMC
No. 24 Grace: 20-11, 12-6 Crossroads
Coach's Corner:
"We've talked a lot this year on being dominant each time we walk onto the court – we don't focus on the score, we just play volleyball," said Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Claire Ochs. "Tonight was no different and even when we trailed 8-12 in the fifth set, we had the confidence that we
were going to win. That just proves how much these girls believe in each other."
Next Game
The Spartans are set to open NAIA National Tournament Pool Play at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
