SPRINGFIELD – Fifth-year senior Azyah Green tallied 13 kills Saturday, a career high for a three-set match, but visiting Valparaiso became the first team to sweep the Bears at Hammons Student Center since October 30, 2021, winning by set scores of 26-24, 25-13, 25-17.

Playing in her 137th career match for the Maroon and White – the most for any player since 1984, Green hit .310 for the Bears (10-13, 4-7 Missouri Valley Conference) and added five blocks in the contest.

The opening set was tied 14 times with seven lead changes and neither team led by more than two points for the duration. Missouri State took a 22-20 lead with a 4-0 run that included two Green kills and another from Lindsay Lahr before they paired up for a block and the late advantage. Valpo came back to tie at each point from 22-24, with Miranda Strongman landing three consecutive kills to close out the 26-24 VU win.

The Beacons (15-9, 7-4) hit .361 with 17 kills while holding the Bears to a negative efficiency in the second set and took control of the third with an early 6-0 run, holding MoState at arm's length for the remainder of the match.

Valpo hit .241 compared to .103 for the Bears and led 51-31 in kills and 75-61 in digs. Both teams had eight blocks.

Teagan Polcovich led MSU with 15 digs, and Morgan Sprague tallied a double-double with 24 assists and 11 digs.

Missouri State will play its next four matches on the road, beginning with a 5 p.m. Friday contest at Evansville.