Mustangs Split Early Sets Before Falling to Vikings in Four

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Mount Mercy University women's volleyball team dropped a 3–1 decision to nationally ranked Grand View University on Tuesday night at Hennessey Recreation Center in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. The Mustangs fell by set scores of 11–25, 25–16, 21–25, 14–25, moving to 12–12 overall and 7–10 in league action.

Grand View (26–3, 16–1 Heart) held a .174 attack percentage to Mount Mercy's .024 while totaling 51 kills and 12 team blocks. Mount Mercy recorded 31 kills, 30 assists, and seven service aces in the four-set contest.

Hallie Bedier led the Mustangs with 10 kills on 39 total attacks, while Alivia Arsenault added seven kills with a .150 efficiency. Mary Kate Bendlage tallied five kills and two block assists, while Taia Hodgkinson contributed four kills and three blocks. Setter Maddie Marquardt distributed 12 assists with two aces and seven digs, and Delaney Rhoden added 12 assists from the secondary setting position.

From the service line, Sam Schrage posted two aces and five points overall, and Brooke Ellyson anchored the back row with a team-high 14 digs and one ace. Eryn Jackson added 12 digs and a service ace, rounding out Mount Mercy's defensive effort.

After dropping the opening set 25–11, Mount Mercy responded in set two by hitting .125 and recording nine kills to even the match. The Mustangs took advantage of Grand View's 11 attack errors in the frame, using a balanced offensive spread that included kills from Bedier, Arsenault, and Hodgkinson. Schrage and Marquardt each recorded service aces in the second set as the Mustangs controlled serve-receive rhythm and transitioned efficiently in side-out situations.

Grand View recovered in the third and fourth sets behind a combined 32 kills, paced by Kaylee Stalder with 17 kills and Vitoria Campos Mello with 15. The Vikings hit .351 in the fourth set and closed the match with a 25–14 decision. Mount Mercy was limited to three kills in the final frame despite strong serve pressure from Schrage and Ellyson.

Mount Mercy finished with 68 digs, 11 total blocks, and an improved serve efficiency of 92 percent. The Mustangs sided out at 59 percent in the second set, their highest of the match, and converted 78 percent of first-ball side-outs during their 25–16 set victory.

Mount Mercy will close out the regular season hosting Clarke University on senior night, Friday, October 31. First serve is set for 7 p.m.