The Missouri Valley men’s volleyball team overcame their first-game loss Tuesday, March 11 at the Burns Athletic Complex in Marshall, posting a 3-1 victory over #4 Missouri Baptist.

The #11 Vikings fell behind early in the first game, eventually dropping it 25-16. The second game was initially a back-and-forth effort before the Vikings claimed five straight points, including kills from Davi Azevado and Joao Taveres. Mo Baptist posted a five-point run of their own, and took the lead 18-16, before timely play from Arthur Martenelli and Andrey Bastos flipped the tables back in Mo Valley’s favor to win 25-19. The third game was knotted up three times late before kills from Arthur Martenelli and Samuel Essilfie gave Valley the 28-26 win. Only one ace was recorded, that by Andrey Bastos to clinch the contest for Missouri Valley with a 25-21 victory in the fourth and decisive game.

Azevado led the Vikings with 15 kills and added six digs, while Bastos and Essilfie also posted a double-digit kill total. Lucas Rodrigues posted a team-high 44 assists along with nine digs. The Vikings are now 10-2 overall including a 6-2 record in the Heart. They visit Culver-Stockton on Thursday night at 7 p.m.