Maryville University Athletics

ST. LOUIS -  Makai Scott hammered down a program-record 27 kills, and Jake Usher tied the program mark with 53 assists to pace the Maryville men's volleyball team to a share of the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title. The Saints defeated Missouri S&T in a five-set 18-25, 25-21, 25-23, 13-25, 15-9 contest. By virtue of a tiebreak over Rockhurst, the Saints have earned the top seed for the GLVC Championship Tournament and will be the host team April 25-26. Zac Clark came up with a season-high 18 digs, AJ Robateau had 14 kills while hitting .632, and Peter Soczewka had a season-high 10 kills.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Miners ran an efficient attack and hit .406 in the opening set to grab a 1-0 lead. The Saints answered by hitting .407 themselves in set two to tie the match at 1-1. The third set was close and the Miners led 21-20 before the Saints reeled off three straight points. Scott had a kill, and the Miners committed an error. A Tristan Benbow service ace gave the Saints a 23-21 lead. The teams traded points with Robateau notching a kill. At set point, Soczewka put down a kill for a 25-23 win.
 
The Miners had their best hitting percentage of the match in the fourth set and forced a decisive fifth set. The set was tied at 4-4 before the Saints scored three unanswered points. Robateau had a kill and the Miners committed a hitting error. Robateau then put up a solo block for a 7-4 edge. The Miners scored a point before the Saints reeled off four straight points, featuring three straight blocks. Robateau and Scott combined on the first before Benbow and Scott teamed up on the second. Usher then skied for a solo rejection, and a Scott kill put the Saints ahead 11-5. The Miners broke through for two points but yet another block, this time by Benbow and Usher followed by an error by the visitors made it 13-7. The Miners scored twice but Scott put down a kill, and the Miners committed a hitting error on match point as the Saints celebrated a 15-9 victory.  Maryville hit .353 in the final set while holding the Miners to a -.043 mark.

STATISTICAL LEADERS
Kills: Makai Scott - 27
Hitting Percentage: AJ Robateau - .632
Assists: Jake Usher - 53
Service Aces: Tristan Benbow and Jake Usher - 2
Digs: Zac Clark - 18
Blocks: AJ Robateau - 3

RECORDS
Maryville: 17-7, 12-2 GLVC
Missouri S&T: 17-6, 11-3 GLVC
 
What's Next?
As the top seed of the GLVC Tournament, the Saints face No. 4 seed Roosevelt in a 3 p.m. start Saturday, April 25. No. 2 seed Rockhust and No. 3 seed Missouri S&T will play the other semifinal match at 6 p.m. The GLVC championship match is slated for Noon Sunday, April 26.