Parkville, Mo. – The Central Methodist volleyball team battled through a five-set marathon to defeat Park University Saturday afternoon in Parkville, Missouri, winning by scores of 15-25, 25-21, 14-25, 25-20, and 19-17.

It marks CMU's first road win against the Pirates since Oct. 7, 2003. It's also the second win for the Eagles in the last three meetings. CMU previously defeated Park on Oct. 8, 2024 in Fayette.

The Eagles showed grit in the decisive fifth set, rallying late to secure the 19-17 win and complete the comeback win. 

With the victory, Central improves to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in the Heart of America, while Park falls to 15-7 and 11-4 in conference play.

Senior Joana Milho delivered a standout performance, recording 21 kills, three service aces, and 15 digs for a match-high 24 points. Her final service ace of the night gave CMU the win in the fifth set. 

Junior Martina Gonzato matched Milho's offensive output with 21 kills on a .304 hitting percentage. The pair combined for 42 of the team's 64 total kills.

Luciana Araujo chipped in six kills, two aces, and seven digs, while Hailey Dreier tallied seven kills and hit .294 on the night.

Setter Mariah Bostic-Jones orchestrated the offense with 41 assists and added 11 digs for a double-double performance. Freshman Ramsey Spinks followed with 11 assists and seven digs.

Defensively, Vitoria Martins anchored the back row with a team-high 16 digs, while Milho, and Bostic-Jones added strong support. Freshman Ines Paredes added eight digs as well.

Central Methodist returns to action against Missouri Valley College Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7:00 p.m. in Marshall, Mo. 

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