Mustangs Topple Statesmen in Conference Opener

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - The Mount Mercy men's volleyball team was victorious in the conference opener against the fifth-ranked William Penn Statesmen, winning 3-1 with set scores of 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, and 25-18.

Right from the first serve, the Mustangs were an offensive force, outhitting the Statesmen in all but the third set. Set one saw a point-for-point battle that ultimately favored the Mustangs, who recorded 12 kills and a .250 hitting percentage in their 25-23 victory. Set two followed a similar pattern, with the Statesmen staving off set point during a six-point run, but a kill by Gabor Toth secured the 25-22 win for the Mustangs.

Set three produced a different result, as the Statesmen forced a fourth set with a 25-23 victory. The Mustangs were held to a .132 hitting percentage compared to the Statesmen's .167. Determined to close out the match, the Mustangs jumped to an early 12-3 lead in set four, propelling them to a 25-18 win and a 3-1 match victory.

Gabor Toth led the Mustangs with a season-high 21 kills and a .291 hitting percentage while also contributing six digs and three block assists. Close behind was Guglielmo Illotti, who recorded 16 kills and eight digs. Gustavo Bauer paced the Mustang offense with 46 assists and 15 digs, while Richard Struska also added 15 digs.

The Statesmen were led by Josh Bluhm, who tallied 12 kills and a .267 hitting percentage, while Ben Cemeno-Castillo also recorded 12 kills. Brady Zell contributed 39 assists to the Statesmen's offensive effort.

The Mustangs return to the court on February 14, hosting Graceland at Hennessey Recreation Center, with first serve set for 7:00 p.m.