The Park University women's volleyball program took on Baker University on Tuesday night in Breckon Sports Center. The Pirates started off fast, but it came down to the wire before overtaking the Wildcats in the final moments of the fifth set, 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 22-25, 16-14.

Park moves up to 8-5 on the year with a 4-2 Heart of America Athletic Conference record, while Baker moves to a similar record at 10-5 and 4-3 in conference play. 

The Pirates move to 17 unbeaten matches in a row against the Wildcats, including a 2-0 showing in 2025 against Baker. While the last time these two teams played, Park got the sweep in Baldwin City, the Wildcats avoided a sweep and pushed Park to five sets on Tuesday. Despite Park having eight more kills than the Wildcats, 63 to 55 in the match; the Wildcats hit at a slightly better percentage at .153 to Park's .144. The first set was tied five times before Park got some breathing room with a 5-1 run to make it 15-11. Indi Zetic went to work with two kills in that span.Two kills in a row by Silvia Albani from the setter position helped Park get to a four-point lead, 19-15, and the Pirates controlled the rest of the way for an opening 25-21 win. 

Baker did not go away in set two and after tying the Pirates a couple times early, they went ahead 12-9 on back-to-back attack errors by Park. Shortly after a Head Coach Michael Talamantes timeout, Park went on a 4-0 run with kills by Zetic and Elisa Dalla Pozza for the 13-12 lead. This would be a test for Park, as Baker answered with four unanswered points and held a two-point advantage late. Park was able to get it to a set point at 24-22 with another 4-0 run, but Baker countered to tie at 24-24. The Pirates even faced set point 26-25, but thanks to two attack errors by Baker and a Zetic kill, the Pirates went up 2-0 after the 28-26 win.

This time Baker did not settle for ties in the early going, but led Park 8-6. As the set continued, the Pirates got back within one at 12-11, but a 6-1 run set up the Wildcats well at 18-12. Park would chip away at the deficit, but Baker extended the match with a 25-20 win.

Both teams alternated points to tie six times at 6-6. Park would get a boost from Angelina Rodriguez with a kill on a 3-0 run to take a 9-8 lead. Out of a Baker timeout, they had another big run to go up 14-9 on Park. The Pirates were down six at the 19-13 mark and an improbable 8-2 run tied the match at 21-all. Out of another Baker timeout they went on a 4-1 run with four kills to send both teams to a fifth set, 25-22. 

Both teams had their fair share of momentum swings in the match, so predicting the fifth set was truly a coin flip on Tuesday. Park managed to get to a 6-4 lead, but a 5-0 run dug a hole for the Pirates at 9-6. In a set to 15 points, normally taking five unanswered points can be too insurmountable, but not for Park. Daniela Gomez lent a kill and Baker had an attack error to make it 9-8. A service error by the Wildcats also kept the door cracked for the Pirates, as Baker soon went on to a 12-9 lead. Park went to Dias for three big kills to make it 13-12, but then Baker got a kill to take it to match point, 14-12. One last timeout was called by Park and its hard to say what was said in that huddle, but the Pirates responded with a 4-0 run to win the match 16-14. Dias, Pozza, and Zetic all branded kills for Park in the last four points for the victory. 

These same three, no surprise, were Park's leading offensive players that night. Zetic has had six matches in a row since September 19 that she has had double-digit kills and she has four double-doubles in her last five matches. 

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Zetic led Park with 15 kills and 16 digs, but she also had four block assists and a service ace. Dias and Pozza were both playing middle hitter and each had 12 kills. Pozza led Park with six blocks and Dias added four to the Pirate cause.

Jullia Alvarez at libero had 16 digs to match Zetic, but also had four assists and three service aces. Park's dig leader was Angelina Rodriguez, but she also was close to a double-double with seven kills.

Albani earned a double-double along with Zetic on 50 assists and 10 digs. 

Teodora Tasic was close to double-figures with nine kills as well. 

Park will be in Iowa for their next round of matches, starting with Mount Mercy University on Friday and then going to Clarke on Saturday. Friday's match in Cedar Rapids will be a 7pm start. WATCH
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