KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A standout defensive week helped Julia Reis Pereira lead Missouri Baptist University to three victories, earning the senior libero PrestoSports NAIA Women’s Volleyball Defender of the Week honors.
The native of Minas Gerais, Brazil, anchored the Spartans’ back row, totaling 77 digs in 11 sets, averaging 7.0 digs per set. In addition to her defensive contributions, Reis Pereira added 12 assists, three service aces and posted a .911 reception percentage during Missouri Baptist’s undefeated week.
Reis Pereira opened the week with a career-best performance in a five-set victory over Maryville University, recording 36 digs. She was flawless in serve receive, finishing with a perfect 1.000 reception percentage, while also contributing nine assists and a service ace.
She followed with another strong defensive effort in a sweep of Clarke (Iowa), collecting 21 digs and recording a 7.0 digs-per-set average. Reis Pereira also added an assist and a service ace in the victory.
The senior closed the week with 20 digs in a straight-set win over Mount Mercy (Iowa), adding two assists and another service ace. She once again helped stabilize the Missouri Baptist defense while limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities.
For the week, Reis Pereira recorded 77 digs, reaching 20 or more digs in every match and averaging 7.0 digs per set. Her 36-dig performance against Maryville highlighted a week defined by elite defensive play, while her contributions in serve receive and transition offense further underscored her all-around impact.
Behind Reis Pereira’s leadership and consistency in the back row, Missouri Baptist completed a perfect 3-0 week.
About the NAIAThe National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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