Women's Volleyball Tops Culver-Stockton in Four Games on Senior Day

Marshall, Mo., (Nov. 2, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College women's volleyball team hosted Culver-Stockton (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference match, for Senior Day, inside the Burns Athletic Complex Saturday evening. The Vikings finished out a four game win, by scores of 25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20.

The opening game started with the two teams trading points through a 9-9 score. Senior Outside Hitter Ksenija Simun (Kotor, Montenegro) landed three kills, Junior Outside Hitter Blanca Arciniega Palma (El Paso, Texas) had two kills and Junior Setter Ana Santos (Curitiba, Brazil) added an ace during the stretch of play. Culver-Stockton went in front winning five of the next seven points making it a 14-11 score. The Vikings used back-to-back kills from Senior Outside Hitter Ana Oro (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), a kill by Junior Middle Hitter Kinga Ramonowicz (Krepiec, Poland) and three CSC errors to tie the game at 17-17. The Wildcats won four-straight points to take the lead again, but a kill from Junior Outside Hitter Blanca Arciniega Palma (El Paso, Texas) stopped their run, 22-19. The Vikings came back taking six of the last seven points, where Oro had one kill and Senior Middle Hitter Emma Schulte (Marshall, Mo.) had a solo block and then teamed up with Junior Middle Hitter Patrysia Uzoma (Moscow, Russia) on two more blocks to take the opening game, 25-23.

Both teams traded points at the start of the second game, as the score was tied at 12-12. Oro had three kills, while Simun added two kills and both Junior Libero Ana Franco (Cascais, Portugal) and Junior Defensive Specialist Avery Crain (Shell Knob, Mo.) landed an ace each during the early run. Culver-Stockton won seven of nine points to build up a 23-18 advantage. The Vikings cut down its deficit with two kills from Oro and a kill from Ramonowicz late in the game, but the Wildcats won the second game, 25-23. 

Culver-Stockton took an early lead in the third game, 7-4. Missouri Valley responded winning four-straight points with a kill from Schulte, who also teamed up with Senior Middle Hitter Alanah Best (Lima, Ohio) on a block to tie the game at 8-8. Teams traded points over the next stretch of play through a 14-14 score. Five-straight points for MVC, including three kills from Simon and a kill each from Santos and Franco, gave the team an 18-14 lead. Missouri Valley gradually built up the advantage from there, with Palma landing a kill and then teaming up with Best on a block, and Simun adding another kill and also pairing with Best on a block through the run of play. Oro had back-to-back kills to close out the game, 25-17, putting the Vikings in front, 2-1, in games won.

Going for the win in the fourth game, MVC won the opening four points with an ace from Franco, a kill from Oro and two CSC errors. Culver-Stockton tied the game at 6-6, but Missouri Valley took the next five points to hold an 11-6 advantage, featuring a kill each from Palma and Best, and a block from Simun and Best. Both teams exchanged points through a 15-15 score, but the Vikings went back in front using two CSC errors. Missouri Valley controlled the game from there, helped by two kills from Simun, a kill from Palma, and Oro landing an ace and another kill, keeping a 23-18 lead. The Vikings finished out the game winning the last two points, with a solo block from Best and a final kill from Simun to earn a 25-20 win in the game, and a victory in the match.

The team was led by Oro with a double-double of 15 kills and 18 digs. Simun had 16 kills and 7 digs, while Palma added 9 kills. Ramonowicz finished with five kills and Best had four kills and one block. Franco led with 19 digs, three aces and one kill, followed by Santos who added 26 assists, one ace and one kill. Missouri Valley had a total of 12 blocks and eight aces.

Missouri Valley improves to 15-14 on the season and 7-9 in the Heart. Culver-Stockton falls to 12-12 overall and 8-2 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking women's volleyball team travels to Atchison, Kan., for the last regular season Heart of America Athletic Conference match against Benedictine (Kan.), Tuesday at 7 p.m.

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About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.