CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa [BOX SCORE | POOL PLAY SCHEDULE] - The No. 5 St. Thomas (Fla.) Bobcats swept No. 4 Missouri Baptist Spartans in straight sets at the Alliant Energy Power House. 

St. Thomas won the match in three sets with scores of 25-23, 25-22, and 25-17. Their offensive efficiency was evident with an impressive overall hitting percentage of .462 (44-8-78), which breaks the championship record of .456 (46-10-79) set in 2022 pool play, Campbellsville (Ky.) vs William Penn (Iowa).

Key players for the Bobcats included Kaelen Ingram, who led the team with 16 kills and a .467 hitting percentage, and Gabriel Negrao, who added 14 kills with a .545 hitting percentage. The team's setter, Matheus Collares, was instrumental in orchestrating the offense, tallying 41 assists and ensuring a well-distributed attack. 

Missouri Baptist had notable performances from Veljko Culibrk and Marko Jovanovic, who contributed 15 and 13 kills, respectively. 

With the win, the Bobcats advance to the semifinals for the first time. Missouri Baptist, however, is eliminated from the tournament.