Mustangs Maintain Momentum with Sweep Over Morningside

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Mount Mercy University (18-2, 13-2) swept Morningside College (19-10, 7-9) with a decisive 3-0 victory on Friday night at RVSC-Allee Gym. The Mustangs showcased their prowess with a striking .429 hitting percentage, dominating the match with set scores of 25-19, 25-23, and 25-19.

Mount Mercy took control of the first set with a 25-19 win, driven by a strong offensive showing. Gustavo Kehl Bauer was pivotal, assisting on eight of the Mustangs' kills, including three crucial points from Curdin Acklin. Morningside struggled with errors, committing five service errors, which allowed Mount Mercy to keep the upper hand.

In the second set, Mount Mercy edged out Morningside 25-23, led by Bauer's strong playmaking, which included key setups for Gabor Toth and Acklin. The Mustangs capitalized on Morningside's four service errors, regaining momentum after several tied scores.

Despite Morningside's efforts, including a service ace and crucial kills from Natan Alves and Mauro Verstraeten, Mount Mercy's consistent attack and a timely block by Toth and Matthew Krzos at 18-17 secured the set.

Mount Mercy sealed the match with a commanding 25-19 win in the third set, highlighted by Guglielmo Illotti's critical contributions, including five kills. The Mustangs benefitted from Morningside's seven attack errors and four service errors. Bauer's playmaking was essential, assisting on key points that helped Mount Mercy pull away in the final stages.

Acklin led the team with 17 kills, hitting at a .600 clip. Illotti was a strong contributor with 14 kills and two assists, amassing 15.5 points. Bauer orchestrated the offense with 47 assists and added seven digs. Toth also made his mark with 12 kills on 23 attempts and six digs.

Verstraeten led Morningside with a .500 hitting percentage, recording five kills on ten attempts. Tucker Juhnke showed efficiency with a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage, converting his single attack opportunity into a point and adding five digs defensively.

Alves contributed seven kills, one ace, and two digs, while Lucca Stoelinga facilitated the offense with ten assists and two digs. Palikapu Wilson added defensive prowess with two total blocks, including one solo.

The Mustangs maintain an overall record of 18-2 and a conference record of 13-2. Morningside holds an overall record of 19-10 with a conference record of 7-9.

Mount Mercy will next face Dordt on Saturday, March 28, at 1 p.m. in Sioux Center, Iowa.