Marshall, Mo. — The Spirit opened the Missouri Valley Tournament with an intense five-set battle against the Missouri Valley College Vikings, trading momentum throughout a match that tested both depth and resilience. OUAZ showed flashes of dominance early, but the Vikings responded to force a dramatic finish in the tournament opener.
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Set 1 (25-16): The Spirit came out firing and controlled the opening set from the start. Maddux Goron and Caeden Salmen each delivered service aces to set the tone, while Horatio Maumasi led the attack with four kills. Jack Hubbard added three kills, and Treven Clizbe made a strong impact with two kills and two aces as OUAZ cruised through the set.
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Set 2 (16-25): Momentum shifted in the second frame as the Vikings answered back. Caeden Salmen, Horatio Maumasi, and Jack Hubbard each tallied three kills, but Missouri Valley was able to capitalize on key moments to even the match.
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Set 3 (25-22): The Spirit responded well in the third set, regaining control behind a strong offensive showing. Salmen paced the set with five kills, while Hubbard contributed three, helping OUAZ reclaim the lead in the match.
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Set 4 (29-31): The fourth set turned into a long, hard-fought battle with extended rallies on both sides. Salmen continued to swing aggressively with six kills, and Hubbard followed with a team-high seven kills in the frame. Thomas Plaskett added two service aces, but the Vikings managed to outlast the Spirit to force a decisive fifth set.
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Set 5 (12-15): The final set was another intense battle, with neither side giving ground. Maumasi recorded two kills, and Salmen added three more, but Missouri Valley edged ahead late to close out the match and hand the Spirit a narrow five-set loss.
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Up Next
The Spirit continue action at the MOVAL Invitational on Friday, January 30th at 9:00 AM (MST) against Central Christian and 3:00 PM (MST) against Hastings.
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