Pregame
Mission returned to Hilly Beck Court at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on Wednesday, October 8, looking to build on their recent conference victory as they hosted Missouri Valley College. The Lady Patriots entered the contest 7-14 overall and 3-5 in American Midwest Conference play, showing signs of improvement as the season progressed. With home-court energy on their side, Mission aimed to continue their climb in the AMC standings and string together back-to-back wins. The night also marked Mission's annual Pink Out in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with fans and players alike sporting pink to show their support for the cause. Missouri Valley came in sitting at an even 10-10 overall and 4-6 in conference play, setting up what promised to be a competitive midseason matchup. 

Set 1 (9-25 Missouri Valley)
Mission opened the scoring with a strong kill from Shelby Evans, taking an early 1-0 lead. Missouri Valley quickly countered, going on a 6-0 run that forced Mission into an early timeout, 1-7 Lady Vikings. Out of the break, the Lady Patriots tried to regain their footing with a point to stop the run, 2-9, Missouri Valley. However, the Lady Vikings maintained pressure from the service line and continued to find holes in the Mission defense, extending their lead to 5-15. Despite efforts from Mission to slow the tempo and improve their defensive coverage, Missouri Valley's front-line attack continued to find success, pushing the score to 8-22. Allie Czachowski responded with a solid block to earn a late point for Mission, but it wasn't enough to turn the tide as Missouri Valley secured the first set 25-9. 

Set 2 (19-25 Missouri Valley)
Mission regrouped in the second set and looked more composed early on. Missouri Valley struck first, but the Lady Patriots quickly responded to keep things tight, 1-3 Lady Vikings. Violet Kirkpatrick sparked the offense with a powerful kill, followed by another from Shelby Evans to keep Mission close, 5-9, Missouri Valley. The Lady Patriots continued to build momentum behind kills from Abbi Street and a key block by Sarah Purcell and Allie Czachowski that brought the home crowd to life, 9-12, Missouri Valley. Hannah Maxwell added an ace to close the gap to three, and another ace from Czachowski had Mission within one. A miscue from Missouri Valley tied the set at 16-16, the loudest the gym had been all night. However, the Lady Vikings responded with a quick surge to reclaim control, 17-20, Missouri Valley. A late timeout by Mission tried to break the Vikings' rhythm, but Missouri Valley closed strong, taking the set 25-19 despite a solid showing from the Lady Patriots.  

Set 3 (16-25 Missouri Valley)
The third set began with Missouri Valley striking first, but Mission stayed close early behind consistent defense and aggressive swings. Sarah Purcell delivered a big kill to keep things within reach, 3-5, Missouri Valley. The Lady Vikings managed to pull away with a short run, prompting a Mission timeout as they trailed 4-9. Out of the huddle, Mission found some rhythm with improved passing and a well-placed strike by Purcell, 7-14, Missouri Valley. The Lady Patriots continued to show fight, forcing long rallies and capitalizing on a few Viking errors to cut into the lead, 9-15, Missouri Valley. Late in the set, Mission went on a small 3-0 run fueled by strong defensive play and back-to-back kills to bring the score to 15-22. Czachowski added another kill to keep Mission alive, 16-23, but Missouri Valley finished things off with a quick two-point run to close out the set 25-16 and take the match in straight sets. 

Post Game
Mission falls 0-3 to the Lady Vikings but will look to bounce back and return to the win column as they hit the road to face Williams Baptist University on Friday, October 10, at the Southerland-Mabee Center in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The Lady Patriots enter the matchup 7-15 overall and 3-6 in American Midwest Conference play, aiming to regain their rhythm after a tough home loss to Missouri Valley. With several competitive performances in recent weeks, Mission continues to show steady progress in all phases of play and will look to carry that energy into their second straight AMC matchup of the week. Williams Baptist enters the contest looking to protect its home court and strengthen its standing in the conference, setting up another key test for the Lady Patriots as the regular season moves into its final stretch.