Columbia, MO - Stephens College volleyball turned in a complete performance on Wednesday night, sweeping Mission (Mo.) 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-14) at Silverthorne Arena. The win pushes the Stars to 5-7 overall and 2-1 in conference play while giving them a strong start to their home conference slate.

Stephens came out firing in the opening set, hitting .500 as a team and using quick runs to build an early lead. Solid serving and strong net play kept Mission off balance as the Stars cruised to a 25-11 win. The second set was a much tighter battle with four ties and three lead changes, but Stephens stayed poised and executed late, taking the frame 25-22 to go up two sets to none. In the third, the Stars put together one of their most balanced efforts of the night, limiting Mission to a .054 hitting percentage while spreading the offense and closing the match with a 25-14 victory.

The Stars' offensive attack was led by Michalina Oles, who finished with 13 kills on a .385 hitting percentage. Amari Branch-Autman and Lena Hunziker were equally effective, each posting 10 kills, with Branch-Autman adding five total blocks and Hunziker contributing 11 digs for a double-double. Setter Emma Whitson orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out 35 assists while adding three digs and a service ace. Jatnna Pena Perez led the defensive effort with 19 digs, helping Stephens keep rallies alive and control the back row.

Stephens posted a .368 hitting percentage as a team, out-blocked Mission 16-8, and tallied seven service aces in the win. The Stars' balanced attack and steady defensive presence were key factors in completing the sweep.

The Stars will look to continue this momentum as they head into their first Conference quad match of the season this weekend, hosting Williams Baptist, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, and Cottey College. The Stars play at 11:00am vs Williams Baptist and 5:00pm vs Cottey College this Saturday, September 20th.