Mustangs Compete Hard in Loss to Missouri Valley

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Mount Mercy University's volleyball team, now holding a 20-3 overall record and 15-3 in conference play, faced a setback against Missouri Valley College, falling in straight sets, 31-33, 19-25, 20-25, at the Hennessey Rec Center on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Mustangs managed an impressive .387 attack percentage in the final set.

The Mustangs fought hard in the opening set, narrowly losing 33-31 to the Vikings. Guglielmo Illotti was instrumental, delivering several crucial kills that buoyed Mount Mercy's offense. A service ace from Curdin Acklin briefly shifted the momentum, but the Mustangs were unable to recover from a string of attack errors, allowing Missouri Valley to clinch the set.

In the second set, Mount Mercy came out strong, surging to a 13-8 lead thanks to a series of smart plays, including three kills from Illotti, skillfully assisted by Gustavo Kehl Bauer. However, the Vikings countered with a commanding 17-6 run, capitalizing on Mustang attack errors and a service ace by Bernardo Wolf Roese to seal a 25-19 set victory.

Leonardo Goncalves played a pivotal role for Missouri Valley, facilitating numerous kills that neutralized Mount Mercy's early advantage.

The third set saw the Vikings maintain their offensive momentum, securing a 25-20 win. Frederico Baptista and Loan Fargier spearheaded the attack with significant kills, while Goncalves consistently provided key assists. Mount Mercy responded with strong plays from Illotti and Pere Font Torres, each contributing multiple kills with Bauer's assistance. Yet, the Vikings' service aces and Mount Mercy's service errors were decisive in maintaining Missouri Valley's lead.

Illotti stood out with 21 kills on 43 attempts, amassing a total of 23 points for the Mustangs. Bauer efficiently orchestrated the offense with 38 assists over the three sets. Richard Struska anchored the defense, registering 16 digs, while Torres achieved a flawless hitting percentage with four kills on four attempts.

For the Vikings, Goncalves was a standout, delivering 36 assists, along with nine digs and three block assists, showcasing his all-around play. Baptista was a force in attack, leading with 11 kills on a .320 hitting percentage and adding three total blocks.

Fargier contributed 10 kills and a service ace, while Luca Hasse chipped in nine kills and two service aces, rounding out a well-balanced offensive display. Arthur Martenelli made his presence felt at the net with four block assists and five kills on a .333 hitting percentage.

The Mustangs will look to regroup as they head to Dubuque, Iowa, to face Clarke on Tuesday, April 7, with the match set for 7 p.m.