Columbia, MO - The Stephens College volleyball team put together a strong showing on Saturday, October 17, earning two conference victories at Silverthorne Arena. The Stars opened the day with a three-set sweep over Harris-Stowe State University before closing out the afternoon with a four-set victory against Mission University. With the pair of wins, Stephens improved to 9-15 overall and 7-4 in conference play, continuing to build momentum as the regular season progresses.
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Game One: Stars 3, Hornets 0
The Stephens College volleyball team opened Saturday's home action with a commanding three-set sweep over Harris-Stowe State University at Silverthorne Arena. The Stars secured the victory with set scores of 25-18, 25-19 and 25-21, improving to 8-15 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
Stephens established control early, taking the opening set 25-18 behind a balanced offensive attack. The Stars continued their momentum into the second set, recording 15 kills to claim a 25-19 victory. Harris-Stowe challenged Stephens in the third set, but the Stars held strong to close out the match with a 25-21 win and complete the sweep.
Jocelyn Rios and Michalina Oles led the Stephens offense with 13 kills apiece. Rios delivered an impressive performance, hitting .571 with just one error on 21 attempts, while Oles added three total blocks and a service ace. Anna Bradley contributed 10 kills and seven digs, while Alyssa Jackson added five kills and four block assists.
Audrey Dinwiddie directed the Stars' offense with 40 assists and seven digs. Defensively, Sabrina Rodriguez and Danika Brase each recorded nine digs, while Alanis Francelino added eight digs and two service aces.
As a team, Stephens finished with 46 kills, 43 assists, 49 digs and six service aces while holding Harris-Stowe to a .065 hitting percentage. The Stars hit .190 for the match, completing the straight-set victory.
Game Two: Stars 3, Patriots 1
The Stephens College volleyball team capped off a successful Saturday at Silverthorne Arena with a four-set victory over Mission University. After sweeping Harris-Stowe State earlier in the day, the Stars defeated Mission 26-24, 25-13, 22-25 and 25-11 to improve to 9-15 overall and 7-4 in conference play.
The opening set featured a tightly contested battle, with both teams exchanging leads throughout. Stephens held its composure in the closing points to secure a narrow 26-24 victory. The Stars carried that momentum into the second set, delivering one of their strongest offensive performances of the match. Stephens hit an impressive .440 with 13 kills and just two errors to take the set 25-13 and build a 2-0 advantage.
Mission responded in the third set, recording 16 kills to claim a 25-22 victory and extend the match. However, Stephens quickly regained control in the fourth set, producing 12 kills with just one attacking error for a .355 hitting percentage. The Stars dominated the final frame 25-11 to secure their second victory of the day.
Jocelyn Rios and Michalina Oles once again led the offensive effort, each recording 14 kills. Rios hit an efficient .323, while Oles added a service ace and two block assists. Alyssa Jackson contributed six kills and three service aces, while Anna Bradley added six kills.
Audrey Dinwiddie continued to lead the Stars' offense, finishing with 43 assists, six digs and three total blocks. Mercedes Brito made a significant impact at the net, recording three solo blocks and three block assists alongside four kills.
Defensively, Danika Brase led Stephens with 16 digs and two service aces, while Sabrina Rodriguez added 13 digs. Alanis Francelino contributed eight digs and three service aces, helping the Stars finish with 10 aces as a team.
Stephens totaled 46 kills, 45 assists, 53 digs and 14 total block assists and solo blocks combined. The Stars finished with a .214 hitting percentage while limiting Mission to .093.
With victories over both Harris-Stowe State and Mission University, Stephens completed a perfect 2-0 day at home, earning two more conference wins.
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