SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Indiana Wesleyan University swept Missouri Baptist University in the first game of NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament pool play on Wednesday evening. The 23
rd-seeded Spartans fell in three sets to the second-seeded Wildcats to snap a 14-game winning streak.
Recap
MBU dropped set one 25-16 after IWU sent down 14 kills on 26 attacks and one error. The Wildcats rode the .500 hitting percentage to a 1-0 advantage despite nine kills from American Midwest Conference Player of the Year
Gabi Jakubowska.
The Spartan attack continued to struggle in set two against the Wildcats, but managed to overcome an early 8-4 deficit on kills by
Elina Arsov and Jakubowska. A trio of IWU attack errors helped MBU to a 16-14 lead before a 4-0 Wildcat run. Later trailing 23-19,
Kassie Lee registered a kill before three consecutive service aces from freshman
Tiia Heikkinen tied the match at 23. IWU setter Abbigail Porter found Eva Joldersma for the lead and the set ended at 25-23 on a bad set from MBU.
Maiana Coelho found Jakubowska for three consecutive kills after Joldersma had IWU out to an early 7-3 lead, and the Spartans eventually tied the set at nine on an ace from Jakubowska. A 4-0 run a few points later sent the Wildcats out in front 14-10, and they never looked back. They finished off the sweep and the third set by scoring six of the final seven points.
Spartan Stat Leaders
Kills:
Gabi Jakubowska (17)
Assists:
Maiana Coelho (28)
Hitting %:
Elina Arsov (.238)
Aces:
Tiia Heikkinen (3)
Digs:
Julia Pereira (11)
Blocks:
Kirsten van der Vleuten (6.0)
Records
No. 23 seed Missouri Baptist: 26-12
No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan: 33-2
Next Game
The Spartans continue play in Pool B at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 4:30 p.m., against No. 15 Montana Tech University.
