ST. LOUIS – The Maryville men's volleyball team hit nearly .400 to sweep No. 6 Missouri Baptist by a 25-16, 25-23, 25-18 score Tuesday evening in the Petty SRC. The win is the second straight for the Saints over the Spartans in the Conway Clash. Makai Scott led the Saints with 16 kills while hitting .345. Tristan Benbow hammered down nine kills with a .533 mark, while Aidan Whitemountain had eight kills on a .462 hitting percentage. Jake Usher handed out 40 assists and directed the Saints to a sparkling .398 hitting percentage.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Holding on to a 7-6 edge, Scott's kill sparked a 5-1 run. Whitemountain added a kill followed by a Benbow block for a 10-6 lead. MBU scored a point but Scott answered with a kill and a Spartan error pushed the Saints ahead 12-7. Still up 15-10, the Saints took control with three straight points. AJ Robateau had a kill and combined with Usher on a block. Another Scott kill made it 17-10. The Spartans never got closer than six points as the Saints took the opener 25-16. Maryville hit .545 with 15 kills versus just three errors on 22 swings.
 
Set two was close the entire way. MBU led 17-16 before the Saints took the lead with three straight. Benbow had a kill before Whitemountain notched a kill and a solo block for a 19-17 lead. MBU tied the score at 21-21 before Rookhuyzen had a kill followed by a rejection from Robateau and Usher. A Scott kill earned a set point, and Robateau delivered for a 25-23 decision.
 
Maryville was down 8-5 but scored four straight to jump into the lead. After two MBU miscues, Robateau and Whitemountain combined on a block before Whitemountain drilled a kill for the lead. The Saints were still up 11-10 and before grabbing ahold of the tilt with a 7-1 run. Scott and Benbow had kills before an MBU error. The Spartans scored a point but the duo of Scott and Benbow answered with kills. Rookhuyzen and Benbow combined on a block before Peter Soczewka served an ace for an 18-11 margin. MBU got to within five but an error and a kill by Ethan Tran ended the match at 25-18. The Saints duplicated their set one efforts with an identical 15 kills, just three errors on 22 attempts.

STATISTICAL LEADERS
Kills: Makai Scott - 16
Hitting Percentage: Tristan Benbow - .533
Assists: Jake Usher - 40
Service Aces: three players - 1
Digs: Jayden Rookhuyzen - 7
Blocks: AJ Robateau - 3
 
RECORDS
Maryville: 2-5
No. 6 Missouri Baptist: 5-2
 
What's Next?
The Saints are back at home Friday, Feb. 6, when they host Cumberland University for a 7 p.m. first serve in Moloney Arena.