Mustangs Fall Short Against Braves in Five-Set Thriller

OTTAWA, Kan. — Mount Mercy University, now 7-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play, faced a tough five-set match against Ottawa University at Mabee Center on Saturday. Despite a valiant effort, the Mustangs fell to the Braves, who improved to 10-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play, with set scores of 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 9-15. The Mustangs tallied 66 kills and 9 blocks in the match.

In the opening set, Mount Mercy and Ottawa exchanged points early on, with the Mustangs utilizing kills from Gabor Toth and Guglielmo Illotti to keep the score close. However, the Braves capitalized on Mount Mercy's service errors, gaining momentum through key blocks by Macort Pickup and Kadeem Morris. Ottawa secured the set 25-19, aided by strong serves from Marko Zolnjan and a final decisive block.

The second set was tightly contested, with Mount Mercy gaining an early edge through strong blocking, including critical stops by Toth and Matthew Krzos. Illotti's consistent performance, with assists from Gustavo Kehl Bauer, kept the Mustangs in the mix. Yet, the Braves took advantage of late attack errors by Mount Mercy, closing the set at 25-23.

Mount Mercy surged in the third set, taking control through Ottawa's errors and their own effective serving. Illotti led with three kills and a service ace, while Curdin Acklin added four kills. Kehl Bauer's numerous assists fueled the Mustangs' offense, leading to a 25-19 win.

The fourth set saw Mount Mercy continue their strong play. Illotti and Acklin spearheaded the attack with crucial kills and timely blocks, creating a decisive mid-set run. Ottawa's attack errors allowed Mount Mercy to maintain a lead, finishing the set 25-19 with a service ace from Raphael Massara.

In the decisive fifth set, Mount Mercy struggled as Ottawa capitalized on their attack errors and service issues. Despite Kehl Bauer's key assists, the Mustangs couldn't maintain momentum. Ottawa exploited five Mount Mercy attack errors, including three pivotal ones from Pere Font Torres, to secure a 15-9 victory. This, combined with offensive efforts from Petar Lazic and Pickup, secured the win for the Braves.

Illotti led Mount Mercy with 20 kills on 42 attempts, earning 24.5 points. Acklin contributed 19 kills and 20 points, while Kehl Bauer orchestrated the offense with 58 assists and added 10 digs. Massara was strong at the net with five total blocks, including two solo.

For Ottawa, Lazic led with 20 kills on 45 attempts, achieving a .311 hitting percentage and 22.5 points. Zolnjan added 14 kills and 12 digs for 16 points. Quentin Le Dortz was crucial in setting up plays with 48 assists, while Leo Betin provided defensive strength with 17 digs. Morris added eight kills and three block assists, contributing 10.5 points, playing a key role in Ottawa's success.

Mount Mercy will next face Clarke on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.