Men's Volleyball Sweeps Culver-Stockton on Senior Night

Marshall, Mo., (April 7, 2025)- The No. 3 Missouri Valley College men's volleyball hosted Culver-Stockton (Mo.), for a Heart of America Athletic Conference match Monday evening inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  The Vikings took control early and swept to a victory by scores of 25-22, 26-24, 25-16.

The opening game started with both teams trading points, as both Senior Setter Lucas Rodrigues (Balnelariu Cambriu, Brazil) and Sophomore Middle Blocker Joao Tavares (Sao Paulo ,Brazil) had two kills each, 5-5.  Missouri Valley won four of the next six points, which included a kill from Rodrigues, along with a kill from Junior Opposite Samuel Essilfie (Tema, Ghana), who also had a solo block, and then teamed up with Freshman Outside Hitter Jackson Gonzalez on another block to move ahead, 10-6.  Culver-Stockton kept the scoreboard close over the next stretch of play, as they won five of the next seven points, but a kill from Tavares and an ace from Junior Opposite Luca Hasse (Paderborn, Germany) kept the Vikings in front, 14-11.  Missouri Valley continued to extend their lead midway through the quarter, as Senior Libero Leonardo Leao (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) put down a kill, Essilfie had another solo block, and Tavares landed an ace to make it a 19-15 score.  The Wildcats closed their gap down to 23-22, but Freshman Middle Blocker Martin Tseyera (Salta, Argentina) had a kill, and a CSC error ended game one. MVC won the opener, 25-22.

Points were traded in the beginning of the second game through a 10-10 score, which included two kills each from Hasse, Essilfie and Rodrigues, and then Tseyera and Leao teamed up on a block.  Culver-Stockton eventually went in front, winning seven of the next eleven points and holding an 18-15 advantage.  Missouri Valley won four-straight points, using back-to-back kills from Essilfie and two CSC errors to tie the game and then go in front, 20-19.  Both teams traded points over the next stretch of play, which included a kill each from Haasse and Tseyera, and two errors from Culver-Stockton to keep the score tied, 24-24.  However, Essilfie landed a kill, and Rodrigues and Tseyera teamed up on a block to close out game two, and the Vikings won, 26-24.  MVC held a 2-0 advantage in the match. 

Going for the sweep in the third game, Missouri Valley won six of the first eight points, using one kill each from Sophomore Outside Hitter Andrey Bastos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Sophomore Outside Hitter Davi Azevedo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and Tavares, who also had back-to-back aces to go on top, 6-2.  The Vikings used four Wildcats errors and a kill from Rodrigues to extend their lead, 10-3.  Missouri Valley continued to pull away from there, taking six of the next seven points, featuring a kill from Tavares, two aces from Leao, and two kills and a solo block from Bastos, 17-6.  Culver-Stockton won four-straight points to cut their deficit down 17-10, but Missouri Valley won seven of the final ten points, which included two kills from Essilfie, one kill each from Tseyera and Bastos, a solo block from Tavares, and a final kill from Lucas ended the game, 25-16, and gave Missouri Valley a sweep.

Leading the team was Essilfie with eleven kills, two solo blocks and four digs.  Rodrigues and Teseyra followed with seven kills, while Hasse had six kills, four digs and an ace.  Tavares added five kills and a solo block, and Bastos finished with four kills. Rodrigues also led with 34 assists and five digs.  Missouri Valley finished with seven blocks and seven aces.

The win moves Missouri Valley to 20-2 on the season and 16-2 in the Heart, while Culver-Stockton drops to 3-25 overall and 2-16 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking men's volleyball team will host Ottawa (Kan.) in a Heart match, Tuesday at 7 p.m., inside the Burns Athletic Complex.

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About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.