Women's Volleyball Tops Avila at Baker Invitational

Baldwin City, Kan., (September 11, 2021)- The Missouri Valley College women's volleyball team finished the match against Avila University (Mo.) in Baldwin City, Kan., at the Baker Invitational Saturday evening, winning in a five-set match by scores of 21-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-27, 15-10 then dropped in three games to Concordia (Neb.), 11-25, 14-25, 16-25.

The first game against Avila University opened with Missouri Valley trailing, 4-0. One kill each from Sophomore Outside Hitter Kylee Meares (Celina, Texas) Freshman Outside Hitter Naomi Wiersma (Workum, Netherlands) Senior Middle Blocker Allie Grelle (Torrance, Calif.), and Freshman Outside Hitter Matilde Teixeira (Porto, Portugal) to help MVC tie the game, 5-5. Avila went on a 4-1 run, but Sophomore Middle Blocker Natalia Ospino (Bogota, Colombia) Freshman Outside Hitter Zoe Fach (Wiesbaden, Germany), and Meares all put down one kill while Teixeira had a service ace tying the game at 10-10. Missouri Valley won two-straight points coming off errors from Avila along with one kill by Meares made it a 13-12 advantage. The two teams traded points over the next stretch of play, but a service ace from Freshman Defensive Specialist Ines Lopes (Aveiro, Portugal) and one kill by Ospino helped the Vikings extend their advantage to 18-15. Avila University answered back by winning five-straight points and going on top, 20-18. One final kill by Ospino and a service ace from Junior Setter Jaicey Perez (Augusta, Kan.) helped MVC tie the game at 21-21, but Avila won four-straight points and went in front 1-0 in the match with a 25-21 win.

Missouri Valley opened the second game with a 5-1 lead. The first four points came off errors from Avila University while Grelle put down one kill. Avila followed by going on a 3-0 run, but the Vikings won the next seven points to extend their advantage. The run included a pair of kills from each Teixeira and Wiersma, while Ospino added one kill to help put the score at 12-4. Over the next stretch of play, Avila went on an 8-3 run, closing the gap to 15-12. A pair of kills from Fach and one kill by Teixeira helped the Vikings extend to a 20-13 advantage. Avila University got within a 20-15 deficit, but MVC closed out the game from there. Lopez had three service aces, and both Fach and Ospino had one kill to finish out the game, 25-15.

Game three featured both teams trading points early, but one kill from both Teixeira and Ospino helped the Vikings to put the score at 4-2. Missouri followed by winning four-straight points that included one kill from both Fach and Wiersma, while Sophomore Setter Abby Hebert (Hammond, Louisiana) added a service ace, extending to an 8-3 advantage. Over the next stretch of play, Avila University won six out of the next ten points to cut into a 12-9 deficit. Meares put down a pair of kills in a 3-0 run, but Avila followed by winning three-straight points, to close the gap to 15-12. To extend their advantage, a pair of kills from Teixeira and one kill each from Meares, Fach, and Wiersma helped the Vikings to a 20-14 lead. Avila University won five out of the next six points, but a pair of kills from Meares and one kill by Wiersma helped the Vikings eventually extend their advantage to a 25-22 win, to hold a 2-1 lead in games.

Going for the sweep in game four, one kill by Teixeira and a service ace from Perez helped MVC jump to a 3-2 advantage. Avila answered back by winning three-straight points, but one kill from both Grelle and Teixeira ended the run to tie the game at 5-5. Avila responded with another run, but this time outscoring Missouri Valley to go in front 7-5. One kill each from Ospino, Teixeira, and Wiersma helped the Vikings win five out of the following seven points to go on top, 10-9. Avila answered by winning the next three points, but one kill from both Grelle and Meares helped tie the score at 13-13. Avila pulled away from there to take a 16-15 lead, but the Vikings went on a four-point run that included a pair of kills from Wiersma and one kill by Teixeira to hold a 20-18 advantage. Avila won another three-straight points to go back in front, but thanks to Meares, Wiersma, and Grelle helped put the score at 23-22. The next two points went to Avila, and one final kill by Fach helped the Vikings take a 25-24 lead. Avila won the last three points to end with a 27-25 score, sending the contest into a fifth game.

The final game of the match with MVC building up a 5-2 advantage. The run included a pair of kills by Fach, while Meares and Grelle added one kill each. Over the next stretch of play, the Vikings reached a 7-6 advantage, thanks to a pair of kills put down by Teixeira. The two teams traded points down the stretch, as Teixeira had four kills and Fach had one kill to help the Vikings finish out the game with the final four points and won the match, 15-10.

Teixeira led the team with 21 kills and 8 digs. Wiersma totaled 15 kills, while Meares had 14 kills and Fach had 10 kills. Hebert totaled 30 assists and 12 digs. Perez had a total of 29 assists and 13 digs. Lopez totaled 26 digs.

The second match of the day against Concordia started with the Bulldogs winning nine out of the first eleven points to put the score at 9-2. Both teams traded points over the next five points that included two kills by Fach and one kill by Wiersma to cut the Viking deficit, 11-6. Concordia extended their advantage by winning three-straight points that were interrupted by an error coming off from the Bulldogs. The Two teams traded points over the next stretch of play, with Fach putting down one kill to cut the Bulldogs lead 17-10. Concordia built on their lead from there, winning six-straight points to stretch its advantage to 23-10. Wiersma added one late kill, but the final two points of the game went to the Bulldogs, as Concordia University won, 25-11, to take a 1-0 lead in games.

Another early run helped the Bulldogs build a 4-2 advantage at the start of game two. Teixeira put down one kill and three Concordia errors got the Vikings to within a 8-6 deficit. The Bulldogs gradually built onto its lead from there, winning six out of the next seven points, eventually holding a 14-7 advantage. A pair of kills by Grelle and one kill by Teixeria helped Missouri Valley cut into its deficit 17-10, but the Bulldogs won the following three-straight points. The Vikings responded by winning the next three points that included one kill by Wiersma and a block by Teixeira and Senior Middle Blocker Angelica Cuki (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico), but the Bulldogs lead sat at 20-13. Fach added one late kill, but five out of the next six points went to Concordia, ending the game, 25-14.

The third game featured an early run for MVC, winning four of the first six points. The run included three kills by Grelle and a team service ace. The Bulldogs responded with a 4-0 run, but one kill from both Hebert and Teixeira helped the Vikings tie the game at 7-7. Concordia won four of the next six points, but one kill each from Cuki, Fach, and Teixeira cut the Bulldogs lead to 15-12. Concordia gradually built on its lead, eventually holding a 20-15 advantage. The Bulldogs closed the game from there, taking five of the final six points to win 25-16 and sweep the match.

Fach led with seven kills and Grelle and Teixeira both totaled six kills. Hebert had a total of ten assists while Freshman Setter Lynsey Day (Kingsman, Ariz.) had nine assists.

Today's matches bring Missouri Valley to 5-9 on the season.

Up next, the Viking women's volleyball team will play a conference game at home, Tuesday at 7 p.m., in Marshall, Mo., against Park University (Mo.).

Avila Box Score- Click here

Concordia Box Score-Click here