ST. LOUIS – The winning streak continues to grow for the No. 11-ranked Missouri Baptist University men's volleyball team, and on Tuesday evening, the Spartans downed Graceland University in straight sets, 25-13, 25-18, 25-22. Tuesday's 3-0 win extended the streak to eight matches and represented the Spartans' 15
th sweep in 19 wins.
Improving to 19-4 overall and 8-4 in Heart of America play, Missouri Baptist is now locked in a three-way tie for third with Park and Missouri Valley and just two games behind William Penn and Grand View (10-2), who make their way to the SRC this weekend. The Spartans sport a 12-1 record inside of Lacey Gymnasium this season and will look to hold down the fort with Nos. 4 and 5 coming to town.
Even on a below-average night on attack, No. 11 MBU had no problem putting away Graceland (4-16, 2-11 HEART). The Spartans made life difficult for the Yellowjacket offense, holding the visitors to a -.043 attack %. It marked the fifth time this season that Missouri Baptist has held an opponent to a negative hitting percentage.
Graceland pushed early in the first and second sets, but the Spartans returned rather quickly. Behind the offense of outsides
Auston Bonte (4 K) and
Michael Olson (3 K, 2 SA), the Spartans ended the 25-13 Set One win on a monster 9-1 run. Despite hitting just .125 in Set Two, MoBap delivered another 9-1 run to stymie the Yellowjackets. The Spartans held GU to a match-worst -.222 hitting percentage in the second set.
Several Spartans appeared in the second and third sets to help finish off the Yellowjackets. Starter
Auston Bonte remained a go-to for backup setter
Josh Kaemmerer, recording seven kills in the 25-22 Set Three win. Senior opposite hitter
Milos Markovic posted five kills on seven swings in the third, while senior middle blocker
Kyle Merzweiler notched three kills on four swings.
Auston Bonte led all scorers with 19.5 points (15 kills, 4 aces, 1 block assist), with
Michael Olson followed behind with six kills and two aces.
Other notable stat lines included
David Rudic and
Josh Kaemmerer with 13 and 12 assists, respectively,
Theo McKnight with four digs, two assists, and a service ace,
Petar Lecic with two blocks, and
Alex Seyer with an ace.
All eyes turn to MBU's weekend slate that includes No. 5 William Penn (18-3, 11-2 HEART) and No. 4 Grand View (16-5, 10-3 HEART) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
