[Women's Volleyball] Comeback Win Advances Mustangs to Conference Quarterfinals

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - The Mount Mercy Women's Volleyball Team has reached the point in the season where it is win or go home. Not ready to see their season end just yet, the Mustangs pulled off an incredible comeback win tonight against the Missouri Valley College Vikings 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 27-25, 25-17, 15-5). With this win, the Mustangs move to 20-13 overall and advance to the Heart of America Quarterfinals.

In the first set of the night, the score would teeter between the two teams with the Vikings pulling away with the lead 18-12. However, the Mustangs would chip away at the lead after kills by the lead attackers of Becca Thomson (SR/Rock Island, Ill.), Alyssa Weldon (JR/Oxford, Iowa), and Maddie Bell (SO/Ely, Iowa) to pull within one at 20-21. The run would come just a little too late as the Vikings would steal the first set 20-21. With similar statistics in the first set, both teams tallied 12 kills and hit just over .060.

On to the second set, the score would remain neck and neck. However, the Mustangs would pull away near the end of the set and lose a late lead as the Vikings took advantage of consecutive Mustang attack errors to end the set. Although the Mustangs hit .132 with 13 kills compared to the Vikings .114 hitting percentage with 10 kills. The Vikings were able to convert on crucial points and snag set two.

Not ready to go home yet, the Mustangs battled with everything they had to take the third set into extra points and win 27-25. Still remaining a very close set with 22 ties and neither team leading by more than three. The Mustangs were able to tame the Viking attack as Lauren Stopko (SR/Tiffin, Iowa) dug up every ball in sight. With Mustang fans holding their breath right down to the very end, the Mustangs would take set three after a service ace by Kayla Daggett (SO/Madison, Wis.). The Mustangs totaled 18 kills in the third set alone hitting an impressive .286.

In similar fashion, the fourth set would go back and forth between the two teams. Using the momentum gained from set three, the Mustangs gained the lead and kept it to ride out the set 25-17. Once again the Mustang offense would compliment the defense with 16 kills hitting .261 while holding the Vikings to just a .122 hitting percentage.

The Mustangs put the pedal down to start set five and did not let up. Starting on a 5-0 run, the Mustangs had everything going for them. Ending the match with a bang was Daggett with a service ace. The Mustangs would total 10 kills just in the fifth set alone hitting an unbelievable .360. The Mustangs did not allow the Vikings to record a single kill in the fifth set holding them to a -.125 hitting percentage.

The Mustangs would total 69 kills, 65 assists, 112 digs, and seven blocks. Thomson led the team after having an amazing night collecting a consecutive double-double with 23 kills hitting .339 and added 22 digs. Weldon was close behind with a double-double of her own recording 20 kills and 15 digs. Daggett dished out 62 assists. Stopko headed an outstanding defensive effort with 36 digs and Sam Whalen (SR/Peru, Ill.) would also contribute 19 digs. Leading blocker was Bell with two solo blocks and two block assists.

Up next, the fourth-seeded Mustangs will travel to one-seeded Central Methodist University to compete in the Heart of America Quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 11:00 A.M.