ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist University men's volleyball team faces a busy schedule this week, opening with a home matchup Tuesday at the Carl and Deloris Petty SRC before hitting the road for three matches across Kansas on Friday and Saturday.
The Spartans enter the week carrying momentum from recent strong performances. Luka Stepanovic has been a consistent offensive presence, leading the Spartans with 89 kills throughout the season. Defensively, Cruse Aea has anchored the back row, averaging almost three digs per set.
MBU has also benefited from distribution by setters Josh Kaemmerer and Axel Griguer, who have added 291 assists this season. In the middle, Jonathan Kreke has made an impact both offensively and at the block, with a .365 hitting percentage and 20 blocks.
Opponent Breakdown
Missouri Baptist opens the week at home on Tuesday against Missouri Valley College. The Vikings enter the week at 7-0 and are looking to challenge the Spartans with a tough offense and structured defense.
They average a .292 hitting percentage as a team, with Luca Hasse leading the Vikings' offense. Hasse has 57 kills on 97 attempts. On the other hand, libero Bernardo Wolf Roese runs the defense, averaging 1.88 digs per set. Lastly, Arthur Martenelli has been lethal at the net with 13 total blocks so far this season.
The Spartans will then travel to Kansas for a pair of matches on Friday, beginning with Central Christian College. They come into the week 0-7, coming off a loss from Ottawa University.
The Spartans road trip is then followed by Kansas Wesleyan University, which comes in at 1-0. Conor Williams is a huge presence at the net for the Coyotes with 27 kills in the last match. Both opponents will test Missouri Baptist's depth as the team navigates a doubleheader away from home.
MBU will close the week on Saturday with a road matchup against Ottawa University. The Braves enter the week 4-2. They average 12.5 kills per set and 11.0 digs per set. Setter Quentin Le Dortz distributes the offense efficiently with 181 assists this season so far. The contest caps off a four-match week and provides another opportunity for the Spartans to continue building rhythm as the season progresses.
Weekly Match Schedule
Tuesday – Location: Petty SRC
• MBU vs. Missouri Valley College – 7 p.m.
Friday – Location: McPherson, Kan. / Salina, Kan.
• MBU vs. Central Christian College – 2 p.m.
• MBU vs. Kansas Wesleyan University – 7 p.m.
Saturday – Location: Ottawa, Kan.
• MBU vs. Ottawa University – 1 p.m.
