LA CROSSE, Wis.– No. 11 Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball took an upset victory over No. 6 Midland University in the second game of the Viterbo Invitational on Friday night.
Gabi Jakubowska tallied 21 kills while
Julia Pereira and
Maiana Coelho combined for 46 digs in the 3-1 win over the Warriors.
No. 12 Corban Recap
MBU jumped out in front early in set one against 12th-ranked Corban University when a service ace from freshman
Elina Arsov and a kill from
Kassie Lee made it 7-5. The teams continued exchanging points until an ace from
Luiza Arsufi and a pair of Warrior errors gave the Spartans a 19-16 lead. Corban called a timeout, made an adjustment, and executed to perfection taking nine of the next 13 points to win the opening frame.
A closely contested second set had the teams tied at 13 midway through but another kill from Lee gave the Spartans the lead. Still leading 15-14, Corban earned six consecutive points split between an MBU timeout that jolted them ahead. They went on to finish set two with a 25-21 victory.
Looking to avoid the sweep, Missouri Baptist battled to an 11-10 advantage and got two kills from Arsov, both assisted by
Julia Pereira. Up 16-11, the Spartans gave up four consecutive to allow the Warriors to pull within one.
At 20-18, Coelho picked up consecutive assists to help the Spartan attack to two more kills.
Fernanda Perini and Arsov slammed the door at 25-21 to give set three to MBU.
Determined to avoid the reverse sweep, Corban played their best set of the contest, hitting .364 with 11 kills and three errors to wrap up a 25-16 set-four win and the overall victory at 3-1.
Spartan Stat Leaders
Kills:
Elina Arsov (11)
Assists:
Maiana Coelho (30)
Hitting %:
Kassie Lee (.333)
Aces:
Luiza Arsufi &
Elina Arsov (2)
Digs:
Julia Pereira (21)
Blocks:
Gabi Jakubowska &
Kirsten van der Vleuten (5)
No. 6 Midland Recap
The late match against No. 6 Midland started in a similar fashion as the first game. Arsov and Jakubowska combined for eight kills in the opening frame, but the Spartans fell 25-21.
The offense started on fire in the second set, however. MBU got three kills from Arsov, two from St. Peters, Mo., native
Riley Kortkamp, and one from Jakubowska to open a 7-1 lead. At 9-3, the Warriors earned four of the next five before Lee stopped the bleeding on an assist from Coelho.
Midland continued to apply pressure and worked the set to a 21-19 advantage. Coelho turned her attention to Lee with set two on the line and she did not disappoint. The junior from Pinckneyville, Ill., pushed the Spartans ahead with a kill at 22-21, and again at 23-22 after Midland tied it. The Warriors tied it up at 23 on an attack error but returned the favor with two more to end the set at 25-23.
Head Coach
Claire Ochs continued to ride the hot hand in the
Riley Kortkamp as she opened up the third set with a pair of kills before Arsufi doubled the lead with consecutive service aces. Lee continued her stellar outing later in the set with a kill at 13-12, followed by a block assist at 14-12.
The teams exchanged points until they were knotted up at 20-all. Jakubowska broke the tie with a kill, Arsov sent one down, and
Natalie Edson served up an ace to push the Warriors to the brink. At 24-21, Coelho again found Lee late in the set to put her team up 2-1 heading into set four.
With a chance to earn their first upset win of the season and second total, Jakubowska contributed seven kills, Neal added five, and the defense tallied four blocks in a fourth frame that needed extra time. Down 20-16, the Spartans rallied back on the back of Neal and multiple Midland attack errors.
After tying it at 23-23, MBU fell behind four more times but continued to respond. Once tied at 28-28, Coelho found Neal for two more kills to end the set at 30-28 and the match at 3-1.
Spartan Stat Leaders
Kills:
Gabi Jakubowska (21)
Assists:
Maiana Coelho (52)
Hitting %:
Riley Kortkamp (.467)
Aces:
Luiza Arsufi (3)
Digs:
Maiana Coelho &
Julia Pereira (23)
Blocks:
Kassie Lee (8)
Records
No. 11 Missouri Baptist: 2-6
No. 12 Corban: 3-1
No. 6 Midland: 2-4
Next Game
The Spartans wrap up the Viterbo University Invitational against the host and fifth-ranked V-Hawks in a noon matchup on Saturday, Aug. 24.
