Columbia, Mo. – The No.23-ranked Columbia College volleyball team played host to the No.4-ranked Spartans of Missouri Baptist University tonight in American Midwest Conference action. After sweeping the Spartans earlier this season in non-conference action, the Cougars faced a tougher Missouri Baptist squad this time. After taking the first two sets in dramatic fashion, the Cougars struggled in the third and dropped the set, but rallied to take the fourth set and with it, the match. The Cougar are now in sole possession of first place in the AMC. 
 
The first set saw both teams trade points until the Spartans used a 3-0 scoring run to prompt Columbia to take their first timeout of the set. Missouri Baptist continued their scoring run out of the timeout and extended their lead to 18-13, forcing another timeout from the Cougars. A kill from Sude Gundogan stopped the Spartan scoring run, but errors from Columbia pushed Missouri Baptist's lead to 22-17. Abby Massengill provided multiple kills while the Spartans committed three errors, closing the deficit to a 22-21 MBU lead. From there, both teams traded points again until the Spartans found themselves at set point, 24-23. The Cougars fought off set point three different times before two errors from MBU gave the first set to the Cougars, 29-27.
 
The Cougars jumped out a quick 9-5 lead in the second set before the Spartans burned a timeout. Columbia held their lead at 16-13 and then again at 20-16. Missouri Baptist gained some momentum from their offense and forced a Columbia timeout as their lead shrunk to 22-19. The Cougars used errors from the Spartans to get to set point, but an attacking error tied the score 24-24. A kill from Allana Capella and another error from the Spartans earned the Cougars the second set win, 26-24.
 
The Spartans took the early 9-3 lead in the third set as errors plagued the Cougars. Missouri Baptist did not let up as they extended their lead to 16-10, forcing Columbia to take their second timeout of the set. More errors from the Cougars helped push the Spartans further ahead as Columbia would drop the third set, 16-25.
 
The fourth set saw the Spartans lead early before the Cougars fought back and tied the score 12-12. From there, both teams traded points until Columbia took a 20-17 lead when Missouri Baptist called their first timeout. Out of the timeout, a kill from Ellie Rockers combined with errors from the Spartans pushed Columbia to a 23-19 lead, forcing Missouri Baptist to take their final timeout of the set. Two errors from the Cougars closed their lead to 23-21 when Head Coach Allison Jones-Olson took the final timeout of the set. A kill from Ellie Rockers and then another kill from Sude Gundogan sealed the fourth and final set for Columbia, 25-21.

Ellie Rockers led the Cougars with 17 kills and 14 digs, while Danielle Prior contributed 10 kills. Sude Gundogan was error-free on offense with nine kills. Luisa Ferreira dished out 40 assists to along with 12 digs. Olivia Skipworth contributed 10 digs, with none more important than her dig on the final play of the match to help secure the Cougar win.