The Basics

Game 1: Evangel 3, Brescia 0 | Box Score

Game 2: Evangel 1, (RV) Missouri Baptist 3 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (12-2), Brescia (3-12), Missouri Baptist (7-9)

Location: St. Louis, Mo. (UHSP Gymnasium)

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Valor Volleyball concluded the UHSP Classic on Saturday (Sept. 14) afternoon, taking on the Brescia Bearcats and the Missouri Baptist Spartans, who were receiving votes in the latest top 25 rating.

The Valor opened Saturday with a dominant win over Brescia, sweeping the Bearcats, 3-0.

Evangel swung a .542 attacking percentage in set one, not committing a single attacking error en route to a 25-12 win in the set. Brescia opened the set with a 3-0 lead, but a 17-3 run by Evangel gave the Valor a 17-6 lead, off multiple kills from Loran Pritchett and service aces from Mayci Routh. A Brescia miscue capped off the 25-12 set.

Brescia played their strongest set in set two, as the Valor and Bearcats battled. An early 9-5 run by Brescia was countered with a 6-0 EU run, putting the Valor ahead, 11-9. Bella Wakley took over from this point until the end of the match, hitting six kills in the remainder of the set, as EU took a 25-19 win in set two.

Bella Wakley could not be stopped in the final set. Wakley recorded seven kills alone in the set and was paired with strong defense and several blocks from Vivianna Sanchez and Jessica Pritchett, as EU took a 25-12 win in the final set and sweep of the Bearcats in game one of Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bella Wakley recorded 22 kills in the win on Saturday, Wakley's career high at EU.

• Jessica Pritchett led the team with 16 assists in the win.

• Kenna Wise led the team with 10 digs.

• Vivianna Sanchez and Jessica Pritchett finished with three blocks in the win to lead EU.

• Mayci Routh recorded four service aces in the win.

Evangel took a game off before taking on the Missouri Baptist Spartans, who were receiving votes in the previous top 25 coaches rating. The Valor fought hard, attempting to make a comeback against the solid MBU squad, but ultimately fell in four sets, 3-1.

The Valor and Spartans battled in set one, with neither team pulling away by more than a pair of points until late in the set. Evangel took a 19-18 lead over MBU in set one on a kill from Bella Wakley, but the Spartans ended the set on a 7-2 run, taking a 25-21 win over EU in the first set.

Evangel swung better in set two, but so did Missouri Baptist. After the game was tied, 7-7, the Spartans used a 13-3 run to take a 20-10 lead over Evangel. The Valor continued to fight, using a balanced team attack to draw within five points of MBU, but the Spartans ultimately took the set, 25-19.

The Valor began to swing momentum in set three, taking advantage of 12 attacking errors from the Missouri Baptist offense. With the set tied at 11-11, a multitude of attacking errors paired with some Evangel service aces gave EU a 20-11 lead. A Kenna Wise service ace helped to cap off the set that the Valor took, 25-17.

In the fourth and ultimately final set, Missouri Baptist grabbed an early lead and maintained it for the set. As EU trailed 18-10, the Valor did not back down, fighting to draw within three points of the Spartans, 20-17. The MBU offense recorded kills late, ending Evangel's chances of a comeback, as EU fell, 25-19.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Vivianna Sanchez led the Valor with nine kills.

• Jessica Pritchett led the team with 15 assists.

• Kenna Wise led the team with 17 digs.

• Sharayah Seymour finished with five blocks in the loss.

UP NEXT

Evangel will play host to the nationally ranked Cougars of Columbia College on Thursday (Sept. 19) evening, their first match in AGFinancial Arena at 6:00 p.m.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.