MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – St. Thomas (0-1) dropped its season-opening match to 12th ranked Missouri Baptist (5-0) in four sets on Friday at the Fernandez Family Center.  The Spartans defeated the host Bobcats 3-1 (25-14, 25-19, 21-25, 25-11) in the four-setter.

Senior Carly Durr led the Bobcats with 17 kills, while senior Whitney Battoe recorded 14 kills and 11 digs.  Senior setter Kimberly Martino dished out 36 assists, setting up Durr and Battoe the majority of the time.  Junior Courtney White was successful in the service game with three service aces, while senior Kelli Kosydor led the Bobcats defensively with 13 digs.

MBU jumped out to a 2-0 lead winning the first set 25-14, followed by a 25-19 victory in set number two.  STU rallied with an impressive 25-21 win in the third set, sparked by a rally that came while White was serving.  Trailing 15-10, the Bobcats managed a 5-0 scoring run which included three aces by White to tie the set at 15-15.  The lead see-sawed back and forth with the Spartans taking a 21-20 lead.  A kill by Durr off a Martino assist tied the set at 21-21 sparking another 5-0 scoring run this time with Haley Bannister serving to give the Bobcats the set win and force a fourth set.

Missouri Baptist controlled the fourth set however, winning 25-21 to clinch the match.

St. Thomas returns to action with the final match of the STU Invitational on Saturday vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.).  Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the Fernandez Family Center.