Mustangs Dominate Graceland for Sixth Straight Sweep

LAMONI, Iowa — Mount Mercy University (6-0, 2-0) continued their winning streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over Graceland University (0-11, 0-2) on Friday night at the Morden Center. The Mustangs dominated with set scores of 25-20, 25-17, and 25-20.

Mount Mercy took control of the first set, 25-20, against the Yellowjackets, thanks to a timely surge. Gustavo Kehl Bauer's playmaking stood out, assisting on crucial kills by Pere Font Torres and Matthew Swiatkowski. The Mustangs' defense was formidable, forcing several Graceland attack errors, with Swiatkowski delivering a pivotal block on Kaden Joseph to close the set. Graceland's inconsistency, marked by numerous attack errors, allowed the Mustangs to gain a late advantage.

In the second set, Mount Mercy capitalized on Graceland's mistakes to secure a 25-17 win. A sequence of four consecutive attack errors by the Yellowjackets fueled the Mustangs' momentum, quickly establishing a 6-2 lead. Mount Mercy's defense kept up the pressure, resulting in multiple blocks and forced service errors, while Douglas Fofano and Font Torres combined for clutch kills, reinforcing the Mustangs' dominance.

The Mustangs wrapped up the match with a decisive third set, winning 25-20. Alexander Jette orchestrated the offense with key assists, leading to vital kills by Font Torres and Fofano. Graceland's errors—both service and attack—were converted into points by the Mustangs. Despite a late push by the Yellowjackets, Mount Mercy held firm, exploiting Graceland's service errors to clinch the set and match.

Douglas Fofano led with nine kills, a .316 hitting percentage, and four digs. Sven Krieg was a defensive powerhouse with 20 digs. Font Torres tallied nine kills and served two aces, accumulating 11 points. Kehl Bauer anchored the offense with 18 assists throughout the match.

For the Yellowjackets, Jackson House delivered a team-high eight kills from 21 attempts, earning eight points. Nairod Fonseca provided crucial playmaking with 14 assists and showcased defensive prowess with nine digs. Elijah Kline was solid at the net, with four blocks and five digs, contributing six points. Kalanikapu Aona was efficient with three kills on six attempts, a .500 hitting percentage, and added four blocks for six points.

The Mustangs now stand at 6-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while the Yellowjackets remain winless at 0-11 overall and 0-2 in conference action.

Next up, the Mustangs head to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Grand View. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.