Pirates Eliminate the Mustangs From the Conference Tournament

PARKVILLE, Mo. - The Mount Mercy women's volleyball team saw their Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament run come to an end in the quarterfinals, falling 3-0 to the Park Pirates. The Mustangs were swept in straight sets, with scores of 27-25, 25-22, and 25-15.

The match began as a back-and-forth contest, with the Mustangs gaining a 23-20 lead in the first set. However, the Pirates rallied to win the set 27-25. Despite the tough loss, Mount Mercy recorded a solid .200 hitting percentage and 17 kills in the opening set. In the second and third sets, the Pirates' defense prevented the Mustangs from finding success offensively, as they struggled with a .038 hitting percentage in the second set and .050 in the third.

Mary Kate Bendlage led the Mustangs offensively with 15 kills, finishing with a .071 hitting percentage. Jenna Brown added eight kills and hit .167 percent. Hailey Hested contributed 32 assists and 17 digs, with Rylie Mussman chipping in with 21 digs.

Izabella Ceratti was a standout for the Pirates, finishing with 14 kills and a .256 hitting percentage.

With the loss, the Mustangs concluded their season with a 16-17 record.