MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (August 20, 2022) - It was not an easy way to start off  the 2022 season as the Webber International University women's volleyball team faced the defending NAIA National Champions and No. 1-ranked team in the nation, Missouri Baptist University on Friday afternoon at the St. Thomas University Volleyball Classic in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Warriors would battle to keep each of the sets relatively close but would ultimately fall 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 27-25).

Missouri Baptist (2-0) finished with a hitting percentage of .237 for the match, compared to the .138 of the Warriors (0-1). However, Webber's height on defense helped it pick up a total of six blocks compared to the Spartans' five.

"I am so proud of how the girls took on the challenge of competing against the number one team in the nation," said Head Coach Allyson Moorman. "We had a game plan going into the game and after the first set I made some adjustments and they executed those changes. They played their hearts out and left everything on the court. I am excited for what the rest of the season will bring."

Webber would start strong in the first set after being tied at four, a kill from Nadia Reid followed by a couple of attack errors by the Spartans would gain the Warriors a 7-4 advantage. Later in the set, a kill from new transfer Cintia Lorena would put the Warriors up 11-9 before a four-point run from Missouri Baptist would earn them their first lead of the set at 13-11. Tied at 19, the Spartans would then score five-straight to take a commanding 24-19 lead. Webber would score twice more before a kill from Missouri Baptist would earn itself the set one win.

The Spartans would jump out to an early 5-1 lead in the second set. The Warriors would do enough to keep it close but would struggle to string scores together in order to steal the set and would fall 25-20, giving Missouri Baptist a 2-0 advantage heading into set three.

However, the Warriors would bounce back to start the third set with a 5-0 run that included two kills from Lorena and one from Reid. The Spartans would slowly chip away at the lead as the set progressed, eventually tying the match at 17-17. Three-straight scores from the Warriors followed by three-straight from the Spartans would put the two teams tied at 20. After battling to 23-23, the Spartans would score to take the advantage but a kill from Bailey Sikkema would tie it up yet again. Another Missouri Baptist score would be responded with one from the Warriors, but a kill followed by a service ace from the Spartans would see them seal the 3-0 sweep of the Warriors.

Offensively, the Warriors were led by Sikkema with six kills followed by Lorena with five and Teodora Ranitovic with four. Ranitovic would also tally four of the Warriors six total blocks for the match. Amanda Vega would lead the team in assists with 9 followed by Reid and Paysee Crow each with five. New junior-transfer Bailey Berger would lead the defensive effort for the Warriors, picking up 16 digs while Vega tallied eight.

The Warriors will now travel to Illinois to participate in the TIU/TCC Tournament Tussle which will have matches hosted by both Trinity International University and Trinity Christian College. Webber will compete in a total of four matches, two on Friday, August 26 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. against Judson University and University of Michigan-Dearborn respectively. Those matches will be played at Trinity International and then on Saturday, August 27, the Warriors will travel to Trinity Christian College to face Trinity International at 11 a.m. followed by the hosts at 3 p.m.