Mustangs roll through weekend matchups

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Mount Mercy women's volleyball team continued its dominant play since returning to the court a week ago, rolling through Peru State and Graceland in Heart of America Athletic Conference matches this weekend.

Friday night's action in Peru, Neb., saw the Mustangs defeat the Bobcats (1-7, 0-5 Heart) in straight sets, 25-19, 25-14, 25-13. Mackenzie Murphy (SO/Iowa City, Iowa) hit .409 while finishing with 10 kills against only one attack error. She was one of four Mustangs with double-digit digs. Gabi Delsing (SR/Coralville, Iowa) had a team-best 12 digs, Murphy and Cassidy Boche (FR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 11 each, and Haley Stecklein (SR/Walford, Iowa) 10. Abbi Tunis (SR/Davenport, Iowa) had nine kills and four blocks and Kayla Daggett (SR/Madison, Wis.) tallied 31 assists.

Mount Mercy moved on to Lamoni on Saturday to face Graceland for the second time in a week. After getting swept by the Mustangs on Oct. 11, the Yellowjackets (2-8, 1-7 Heart) managed a second-set victory but still fell in four, 25-16, 18-25, 25-10, 25-14. The Mustangs were led offensively by Maddie Bell (SR/Ely, Iowa)'s .433 attack percentage, which included 15 kills and just two attack errors in 30 attempts. Murphy, Boche, and Tunis each had six kills. Daggett recorded 32 assists, Delsing 17 digs, and Tunis four blocks.

Mount Mercy (4-1, 4-1 Heart) faces Clarke (7-6, 5-2 Heart) in back-to-back matches this week. The first is at Hennessey Recreation Center on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. before a trip to the Kehl Center in Dubuque on Friday at 7:00.