[Women's Volleyball] Weekend Block Party, Mustangs Collect Two Wins

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - A weekend full of Mustang volleyball has come and gone. The results proved to be in favor of the Mustangs as they would collect two wins in Heart of America Conference play. This moves them to a 3-1 conference record and a 13-3 record on the season. Propelling the Mustangs to victory was the outstanding team effort, but most notably the combined 37 team blocks with a season-high 22 against Graceland University and 15 against Peru State College.

On Friday night, the Mustangs would face the Yellowjackets of Graceland University. The Mustangs would come out of the gates swinging. The Mustangs had 16 kills with a .237 hitting percentage in the first set compared to the Yellowjackets five kills with a -.031 hitting percentage. The Mustangs would pull away during the first set, but not before the Yellowjackets would tie it up at  16-16. After losing the lead shortly, Kayla Daggett (SO/Madison, Wis.) would serve five straight points as the Mustangs take set one.

In a similar fashion, the Mustangs would take set two. With the score neck and neck all the way through, the Mustangs would manage to secure the lead almost the entire set. After forcing two Yellowjacket timeouts, the Mustangs would close out the second set capitalizing on Graceland's errors. Once again, the Mustangs nearly double the hitting percentage of the Yellowjackets.

In hopes of completing the sweep, the Mustangs would fall in the third set. The Yellowjackets battled to take the set 25-18 after holding the Mustangs to only seven kills and a .059 hitting percentage. The Mustangs would be down as much as 10 points and fought back to within six, but not before it was too late.

Determined to defend their home court, the Mustangs found their second wind. The Mustangs would take the early lead to start the set going up by nine points after successful swings from Maddie Bell (SO/Ely, Iowa) and Alyssa Weldon (JR/Oxford, Iowa). However, the Yellowjackets would not go down without a fight as they force a late Mount Mercy timeout at 23-21, but the Mustangs would score the last two points to finish the fourth and final set. 

As the Mount Mercy Mustangs defeat the Graceland Yellowjackets 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 18-25, 25-21), they would total 46 kills, 43 assists, 73 digs, and 22 blocks. Olivia Coe (SR/Ankeny, Iowa) and Alyssa Weldon led the team with 15 and 16 kills respectively. Bell added eight kills of her own. Daggett dished out 41 assists. Lauren Stopko (SR/Tiffin, Iowa) led the defense with 33 digs. Bell would also put up eight blocks on the night with Daggett adding four.

After coming off a win just 17 hours prior, the Mustangs were fired up and ready to go. This momentum would carry them on to a sweep of the Peru State College Bobcats 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-14). As a results of this winning weekend, the Mustangs move to 3-1 in the Heart of America Conference and 13-3 on the season.

To start the first set, the Mustangs and Bobcats would go back and forth before Mount Mercy would gain the lead and never look back. The lead would reach as large a 18-11. The Mustangs held the Bobcats to just eight kills, while they committed 15 of their own.

Set two would remain a little closer in score, but the Mustangs did not fail to take care of business. Soon after the start, the tone would be set as Mount Mercy started with forceful kills by Coe, Bell, and Becca Thomson (SR/Rock Island, Ill.). The Mustangs would hit .333 in the set with 16 kills. 

The third and final set resulted in a 25-14 Mustang win. Once again, the Bobcats were held to just four kills, while the Mustangs tallied 11. Bell would serve home the last three points for the Mustangs. It seemed as if all engines were firing for the Mustangs as they took care of the Bobcats in the third and final set with ease.

In a Saturday afternoon match versus the Bobcats, Thomson would lead the offense with 12 kills. Bell would follow up with nine kills and an impressive .412 hitting percentage, and Weldon would add nine. The Mustang offense would give their best showing offensive to the home crowd hitting .272. Daggett would lend 36 assists. Leading the defense per usual was Stopko with 18 digs. Olivia Makinen (FR/Beloit, Wis.) and Bell both contributed four blocks a piece.

Up next, the Mustangs will spend three games on the road before returning to the Hennessey Rec Center on Tuesday, Sept. 25 to host Grand View University at 7:00 P.M.