Men's Volleyball Falls to the No. 11 Missouri Baptist in Five Sets
Lamoni, Iowa – The Graceland University Men's Volleyball were taken down by the No. 11 Missouri Baptist University Spartan in a five-set matchup, 2-3. The Yellowjackets move to 1-7 on the season and remain at 1-5 in conference play.
Graceland (1-7) vs. Missouri Baptist (8-3)
Set 1: Graceland 18 | Missouri Baptist 25
The Yellowjackets would come out the gate hot to take a 3-0 lead, and the Spartans would respond with their own four-point jump (4-5). Both teams would trade points. A kill from Jeremiah Ta'amu Perifanos, dished out by Sean Malaki, would even the score 12-12. A Spartans kill would push them into a 5-0 scoring run (12-17). Missouri Baptist would snatch six of the remaining nine points for set one.
Set 2: Graceland 25 | Missouri Baptist 18
Graceland would find ten points first from the Isaac Elliott Kill and lead by three (10-8). Both teams would trade points. The Yellowjackets would continue their groove with a 5-1 scoring run (22-14). A kill from Sonny Tofi would put the Yellowjackets at set point, and Sean Malaki would end the second with a kill to even the match.
Set 3: Graceland 15 | Missouri Baptist 25
The Spartans would pull an early 5-1 lead with a 5-point scoring run. The Yellowjackets would break the run from the Spartan service error and an ace by Devan Ramsey to close their deficit to three (6-9). Missouri Baptist would answer a 4-1-point jump, increasing their lead to six (7-13); the run would be broken by a Nicodemus Elliott kill. The Spartans would work to take seven of the remaining 12 points.
Set 4: Graceland 26 | Missouri Baptist 24
Both teams came out competitive, neither allowing the other a sizable lead. A late four-point scoring run would put the Yellowjackets ahead (20-18). Both teams would be even five times. A Sam Johnson kill would put Graceland in the lead by one, and the set would end with a Devan Ramsey ace.
Set 5: Graceland 3 | Missouri Baptist 15
The Spartans created a 3-1 lead; a Jeremiah Ta'amu Perifanos kill would close the gap to one (2-3). Missouri Baptist would retaliate for a 9-0 run (2-12). Their run would be interrupted by a second Jeremiah Ta'amu Perifanos kill. The Spartans would snatch the remaining three points for the victory.
Graceland Leaders-
DIGS: Logan Book – 14
KILLS: Nicodemus Elliott / Sonny Tofi / Isaac Elliott – 9
SERVICE ACES: Devan Ramsey – 2
BLOCKS: Will Simmers – 5
Missouri Baptist Leaders-
DIGS: Noah Varga – 16
KILLS: Miljan Kastratovic / Auston Bonte – 15
SERVICE ACES: Miljan Kastratovic / Milos Markovic – 3
BLOCKS: Veljko Culibrk / Kyle Merzweiler / Auston Bonte – 3
Up Next:
The Yellowjackets will be back on Saturday February 18, when they host the University of Health Science and Pharmacy Eutectics and the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes in the Graceland Triangular. Game 1 is set for 10:00 am (GU vs UHSP), Game 2 is set for 12:00 pm (UHSP vs KWU) and Game 3 is set for 2:00 pm (GU vs KWU).
-Yellowjackets-