Mustangs Buck the Braves in Four-Set Thriller

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy men's volleyball team defeated the Ottawa Braves, 3-1, in a four-set battle, with set scores of 22-25, 25-18, 25-19, and 25-21. The Mustangs' defense helped conquer the Braves as the Mustangs would out-block them 24 to 20. 

In set one, the Braves came out swinging, hitting .273 with 14 kills, surpassing the Mustangs' .243 hitting percentage and 16 kills, to take an early 1-0 lead. Despite losing the first set, the Mustangs showed that they would not go down without a fight. Set two saw the Mustangs taking an early 10-4 lead, with Guglielmo Illotti collecting a pair of services aces. The Mustangs outhit the Braves in the second set, hitting .303 while limiting the Braves to .250 for a 25-18 set two score. 

Despite recording their lowest hitting percentage in the match, the Mustangs took set three 25-19 on ten kills and a .120 hitting percentage. The Braves were held to a -.079 hitting percentage and five kills. The Mustangs held off a late run by the Braves, but a service error committed by the Braves gave the Mustangs a 25-21 set four victory and a 3-1 match win. 

Illotti led the Mustangs' offensive attack, hitting .326 with 19 kills while collecting seven digs and seven blocks. Gabor Toth followed Illotti, hitting .146 and 17 kills, with Matthew Krzos adding seven kills on a .429 hitting percentage and adding five blocks. Gustavo Bauer paced the Mustangs' offensive attack with 42 assists and 12 digs, with Richard Struska adding 21 digs. 

The Braves were led by Leo Betin, who hit .348 with 10 kills, and Akeil Williams, with 10 kills and a .269 hitting percentage. Marton Zarka dished out 39 assists for the Braves, while Nazmi Bayoglu picked up 22 digs. 

Mount Mercy (9-2, 4-1 Heart) will travel to Dubuque, Iowa, on February 25 to play Clarke in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup. The match will start at 7:00 p.m.