ST. LOUIS, Mo. – It was a unique day for the Mission University volleyball program as they took the court for two scheduled contests in St. Louis on Saturday. Due to a scheduling miscommunication, Mission was unable to compete in the originally slated noon matchup with Columbia College, resulting in a forfeit.

Despite the unusual start, the Patriots quickly regrouped and turned their attention to Harris-Stowe State University for their second contest of the day. The two teams delivered an intense five-set battle that saw the Hornets edge out Mission by scores of 25-23, 18-25, 20-25, 25-22, 17-15.

Mission tallied 56 total kills on the day, led by Shelby Evans, who turned in a team-high 15 kills and added 16 points overall. Abbi Street followed closely with 14 kills while also contributing three service aces, and Sarah Purcell chipped in with eight kills and six digs. Setter Hannah Maxwell directed the offense with 42 assists, while libero Rylea Kinganchored the defense with 15 digs.

Though the Patriots fell just short in the fifth set, the effort showcased their resilience and continued growth. Mission moves to 4-12 overall on the season and will look to bounce back in their upcoming slate of conference play.