Mustangs split final regular season homestand

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The 15th-ranked Mount Mercy men's volleyball team overcame a rough start to defeat eighth-ranked Missouri Baptist, 3-2, on Friday night, but the same couldn't be said for their five=set match against UHSP on Saturday at Hennessey Recreation Center.

On Friday, the Spartans (21-6, 10-6 Heart) won the first two sets, 25-21 and 27-25, before the Mustangs rebounded for 25-19 and 25-22 victories in sets three and four. That set up a crucial fifth set that went Mount Mercy's way, 15-11.

Akeel Oxley and Colin Castelnau led the way for the Mustangs, tallying 18 and 11 kills, respectively. Bo Brainerd added seven kills to go along with six blocks. Johann Schopsdau had a team-best 13 digs while Rafael Vieyra dished 36 assists.

Saturday's match came as a surprise since Mount Mercy had never lost to UHSP (19-12, 7-10 Heart). The Mustangs and Eutectics traded sets and then in the fifth, it was UHSP that scored six straight points during a decisive run that clinched the match.

Oxley drilled 23 kills while hitting .357 and Brainerd, who hit .381, finished with 11 kills and five more blocks. Castelnau had nine kills, Raphael Massaro eight. Vieyra handed out 55 assists, Schopsdau collected 20 digs.

While Mount Mercy's regular season has ended, teams still have one more match to play on Tuesday before pairings are announced for the Heart of America postseason tournament, which gets underway on April 13 and concludes on April 20.