No. 11 Mustangs Top No. 6 Statesmen for Season Sweep

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Mount Mercy University (13-2, 9-2) pulled off a 3-1 victory over William Penn University (9-5, 6-4) on Tuesday night, with set scores of 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 28-26.

Mount Mercy showcased their offensive prowess with 62 kills and a .289 hitting percentage, while William Penn managed 53 kills on a .250 hitting percentage.

The opening set was fiercely contested, with William Penn ultimately taking it 25-22. The Mustangs were led by Curdin Acklin, who notched four kills, three of which were assisted by Gustavo Kehl Bauer. Despite Acklin's efforts, Mount Mercy's five service errors allowed the Statesmen to maintain their lead. William Penn's Brady Zell was instrumental, delivering crucial assists for Emilio Spanner's decisive kills.

Mount Mercy edged out the Statesmen in the second set, squeezing out a 26-24 win. Kehl Bauer played a pivotal role, setting up the decisive point for Guglielmo Illotti. The Mustangs overcame service errors by capitalizing on William Penn's attack errors, maintaining momentum through crucial plays like Gabor Toth's late kills.

The Statesmen's blocking, led by Ben Brinkman, kept the set tight, but Mount Mercy's timely offensive plays secured the set.

The Mustangs dominated the third set with a 25-18 victory. Kehl Bauer continued to shine with multiple assists, setting up Illotti for key kills. Mount Mercy's service game was on point with aces from Tommy Fellows and Douglas Fofano, while William Penn struggled with six service errors, disrupting their rhythm.

In the fourth set, Kehl Bauer's key assists set up multiple decisive kills by Toth and Illotti. Raphael Massara's back-to-back service aces were pivotal, giving Mount Mercy a crucial lead at 20-18. Despite a late rally by the Statesmen, Mount Mercy clinched the set 28-26, highlighted by strong blocking from Acklin and Massara.

Acklin led Mount Mercy with 15 kills and 11 digs, finishing with a team-high 16 points. Toth added 14 kills and a service ace, totaling 15.5 points. Matthew Krzos was efficient, recording 10 kills on 17 attempts for a .588 hitting percentage. Kehl Bauer excelled with 50 assists, two blocks, and 11 digs.

For William Penn, Ben Cemeno-Castillo delivered a standout defensive performance with 17 digs and contributed 14 kills with a .250 hitting percentage. Spanner was key offensively, scoring 15.5 points with 14 kills and a .182 hitting percentage. Zell orchestrated the offense with 44 assists, while Brinkman and Britten Beallis each tallied six blocks at the net.

Mount Mercy now stands at 13-2 overall and 9-2 in conference play. William Penn holds a 9-5 overall record with a 6-4 conference record.

Up next, the Mustangs will face Saint Xavier University on Friday, March 13, at 6 p.m. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.