MARSHALL, Mo.- William Woods University (9-2, 2-0 HAAC) hit the road for their second Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup with Missouri Valley College (5-6, 1-2 HAAC) on Tuesday night.
Both teams entered the contest undefeated in conference play—Woods coming off a win against Graceland, and the Vikings opening their season with a victory over Clarke. Missouri Valley jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but the Owls remained composed and battled back in a tightly contested set. William Woods ultimately claimed the opening frame, 25-23.
The second set began with both teams trading points through the first 12 serves. However, the Vikings found momentum midway through, going on a 9-1 run that proved to be the difference, evening the match at one set apiece.
In set three, the Owls caught fire. A combination attack led by
Ivi Marcolino and
Luciana Paiva Pereira overwhelmed the Viking defense, propelling Woods to a dominant set win and a 2-1 match lead.
The Owls kept the pressure on in the fourth set, jumping out to a commanding 11-3 lead behind two early kills from
Roberta Carlos de Silva and four service aces by
Pamela Durazo. The Vikings rallied to close the gap to 14-10, but de Silva's two late kills sealed the set, 25-20, and the match for the Owls.
With the win, William Woods improves to 9-2 on the season and 2-0 in HAAC play.
The Owls return to action Friday night when they host Mount Mercy University in another HAAC showdown. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Anderson Arena.
