Box Score Parkville, Mo. – After dropping the first two sets, the 5^th-ranked Cougar volleyball team came from behind and defeated top-ranked Missouri Baptist University 3-2 (21-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-12) in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Championship game on Saturday afternoon at Breckon Sports Center. Columbia improves to 27-7 on the year with the victory, and extends their current winning streak to seven games.

Missouri Baptist handed the Cougars their first loss in 15 straight games in set one, capturing the 25-21 victory to go up 1-0 in the match. Columbia kept things close throughout the set as the Spartans didn't lead by more than three. Columbia would tie the score on four different occasions, but the Missouri Baptist prevailed after scoring four of the last six points to end the set.

With the score tied at four in set two, the Spartans reeled off a 6-1 run to gain separation, making the score 10-5. Columbia chipped away at the deficit, and eventually cut the Missouri Baptist lead to 15-14 with back-to-back kills by AMC Player and Newcomer of the Year Penny Liu. The teams traded point for point, keeping the game close, however, the Spartans were able to pull away with the help of a 5-0 run which proved to be the difference-maker in the set. Columbia failed to close the gap from there as the Spartans were able to take a 2-0 advantage in the match with a 25-18 second set win.

In the third set, Columbia jumped out to a 10-6 lead, as Liu fired three consecutive kills during that span. The Spartans fought back and pulled within one four different times, but Columbia strengthened their lead with a kill by Amber Graham and Liu and a service ace by Sashiko Heredia to go up 21-15 in the game. The Spartans responded right back with a 6-2 run to pull within two, and eventually battled to tie the game at 24. However, Columbia would force a fourth set after a kill by Polina Severina and an attack error by the Spartans put the set away at 26-24.

Columbia raced out to a 13-8 lead in set four, but a 7-2 run by the Spartans tied the game at 15. The Cougars fought their way back out in front with the help of kills by Heredia, Eirini Chatziefstratiadou, and Amber Graham to make the score 18-15. The Spartans didn't go away from there, keeping the Cougars within three points. With
Columbia up 24-21, Missouri Baptist scored two straight points to make it 24-23, but Chatziefstratiadou put down a kill to pull away with the 25-23 fourth set win, forcing a fifth and deciding game.

The Cougars picked up where they left off in the fifth and final set as they led 10-4 to take their largest lead of the afternoon over the Spartans which caused Missouri Baptist to take a much needed timeout. The timeout proved to be helpful as back-to-back kills by Mallory Dillon cut the deficit to four at 10-6, but Columbia came answering back extending their lead to five at 12-7. Missouri Baptist would score three straight points from there to make the score 12-10. The teams traded points from there and with the Cougars up 14-12, a service error by the Spartans would allow the Cougars to win the fifth set, 15-12.

Columbia hit .269 in the contest, posting 69 kills and 23 errors on 171 swings. The Cougars had 22 kills from Liu, who added a double-double with 13 digs. Graham and Chatziefstratiadou also ended in double digits posting 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Setter Sashiko Heredia added 12 digs with 52 assists while Mikah Simpson led all players with 20 digs.

The NAIA will release the final top-25 poll and qualifiers for the national tournament on Sunday, November 15^th. Should the Cougars remain in the top 12, they will receive an automatic berth to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. Stay tuned to www.columbiacougars.com for information as if becomes available.