Yellowjackets Drop Straight Sets to No. 5 Missouri Baptist

LAMONI, Iowa — April 4, 2025 — The Graceland University men's volleyball team fell to the No. 5-ranked Missouri Baptist Spartans in straight sets (25-13, 25-20, 25-21) on Friday night inside the Morden Center. Despite moments of competitive play, the Yellowjackets could not overcome the Spartans' high-efficiency offense and deep rotation. With the loss, Graceland drops to 2-22 overall and 0-17 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. Missouri Baptist improves to 23-4 overall and 16-2 in the conference.

Graceland opened the match by trading points early in the first set, with senior Andrew Cziep and freshman Kalanikapu Aona each finding space with kills. However, Missouri Baptist quickly responded behind the setting of David Rudic and an efficient offensive front that included Marko Jovanovic and Michael Olson. The Spartans posted a blistering .591 hitting percentage in the opening frame, led by Jovanovic's five kills and Olson's four. The Yellowjackets struggled to match the tempo, committing four attack errors while managing just five kills in the set.

Set two proved more balanced, with Graceland briefly taking control early on. Aona and Elijah Kline combined for six kills in the frame, while Cziep added two more with support from setter Luis Garcia, who dished out 22 total assists on the night. A service ace from Christopher Sawyer brought the home crowd to life midway through the second, but the Spartans rallied once again behind the arm of A.J. Tufuga, who tallied a .667 hitting percentage on the evening. Missouri Baptist closed the set on a 7-3 run, powered by strong net defense and disciplined side-out play.

In the third and final set, Graceland showed its most cohesive effort. Aona finished the match with 11 kills on .350 hitting, while Kline added seven kills of his own. The Yellowjackets outdug Missouri Baptist in the final frame, led by five digs from A.J. Rasquero and four from Cziep. Despite the effort, Missouri Baptist used its depth to close the match, with seven different players recording kills. Jovanovic led all players with 13 kills on 18 attempts without an error (.667). The Spartans hit .419 in the final frame and finished the match at a collective .397 hitting percentage.

For Graceland, the offense posted 25 total kills against 17 attack errors on 74 total attempts for a .108 hitting percentage. The team also registered four solo blocks and two block assists. Garcia notched his fifth 20-assist match of the season, while Aona led the team in total points with 12.5.

Postgame, head coach Eric Majors reflected on the team's development despite the loss.

"Missouri Baptist is a top-five team for a reason," Majors said. "We had flashes tonight where we executed our game plan, especially in transition and with our block assignments. We've got a young group, and we're taking steps each match. Our guys are continuing to buy in and stay the course."

With just two matches remaining, the Yellowjackets now shift focus to Saturday's regular-season finale. Graceland will take on University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (UHSP) at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Morden Center. The Yellowjackets will then return to the Morden Center on Tuesday, April 8, to close out the season and honor their seniors in a 7 p.m. match against Morningside University.

For more information on Graceland men's volleyball and all Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.