PARKVILLE, Mo.— The No. 9 Missouri Baptist women's volleyball team extended its winning streak to 13 after defeating Park University on the road, 3-0. The match took place on Friday, Oct. 9, in Parkville, Missouri, at 6 p.m.
The Spartans have won all three sets for the fifth game in a row and remain undefeated in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, improving to 20-2 on the season.
Isabella Munari led the team with eight kills, followed by Ashlynn Hughes with seven and Alohilani Bursey with six.
Defensively, Fernanda Perini led all players with five blocks, while reigning NAIA National Defender of the Week Julia Reis Pereira held the back line with 15 digs.
Defensive specialist Katie Hunt tallied five signature aces, while Heart Setter of the Week Martina Ligabue dished out 27 assists.
The Spartans got off to a slow start in the first set but were able to generate an early lead after a series of errors from Park.
Setter Valentina Navarro shifted momentum in favor of the Spartans with back-to-back service aces, but the Pirates remained within striking distance with an aggressive attack at the net.
After a 3-0 Spartan run, Park attempted to ice Pereira at the service line, but she responded with four more to carry the Spartans to the finish line at 25-16.
The second set was a similar story, as the Pirates gained an early lead after several Spartan errors. Yet the charge was short-lived, as MBU responded with a 6-0 run of their own to reclaim the lead.
While Park stayed within five points, the Spartans maintained control for the remainder of the set to claim a 25-20 win.
Hunt set the tone in the final set with a six-point serving run, including three aces, to put MBU ahead 10-2. From there, the Spartan front line dominated the net. Perini tallied three kills, while Bursey, Munari and Hughes each posted two.
Missouri Baptist sealed the match 25-19 to complete the 3-0 victory.
Next: The Spartans return to action in a nonconference matchup against Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m.
All games will be streamed on Urban Edge Network, with live stats available on NAIA Stats (powered by PrestoSports).
