For two of the three sets on Tuesday afternoon Lourdes went toe-to-toe with the top-ranked team in the NAIA, but the eighth-ranked Gray Wolves were unable to pull an upset, falling to Missouri Baptist 25-23, 25-12, 25-23 at the Petty Sports Complex in Saint Louis, Mo.
 
"We were close in two of the three sets and we didn't play particularly well," head coach Greg Reitz said after the match.  "We were able to do some things well, we just weren't able to do enough to win.  They are a good team and you have to be on to beat them.  We have some time to improve before our next match and we will need to do just that."
 
The Gray Wolves were held to .074 hitting on the afternoon, including a -.278 mark in the second set in which Lourdes managed just three kills.  Missouri Baptist swung at a .337 clip, and also outblocked the Gray Wolves 6-0 for the match.
 
Zachary Hawkins (Dickinson, Texas/Dickinson H.S.) led Lourdes with six kills while Ryan Ferkel (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly H.S.) handed out 18 assists.  CJ Rilveria (Kula,Hawaii/Kekaulike H.S.) tallied a team-leading eight digs for the Gray Wolves.
 
Chris Flood and Mico Janicijevic led Missouri Baptist (20-0) with 12 kills each while Kyle Foley handed out 35 assists.  Robert Hall tallied a match-high nine digs for the Spartans.
 
Lourdes (13-3) will close out their six-match road trip on Friday evening as the Gray Wolves travel to Fort Wayne, Ind. to battle NCAA Division I foe IPFW.  First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Gates Sports Center.