Mustangs Dominate Coyotes in Three Straight Sets

SALINA, Kan. — Mount Mercy University (17-2, 12-2) triumphed over Kansas Wesleyan University (5-13, 2-13) 3-0 on Saturday morning at Mabee Arena, with set scores of 25-15, 25-14, 25-10. The Mustangs delivered an impressive .412 hitting percentage, amassing 48 kills and 47 assists to clinch the victory.

Mount Mercy kicked off the first set with an assertive offensive display, securing a 25-15 win over Kansas Wesleyan. Curdin Acklin and Gabor Toth spearheaded the scoring with multiple kills, supported by Gustavo Kehl Bauer, who chipped in several assists and a service ace.

Despite some service errors, the Mustangs maintained control with effective attacks, including a late kill from Matthew Swiatkowski to close the set. The Coyotes struggled to find their footing, hampered by attack errors and solid blocking from the Mustangs.

In the second set, Mount Mercy surged ahead with a commanding 25-14 victory. The Mustangs' offense was led by Douglas Fofano, who notched several key kills, and Curdin, who contributed with timely points. Capitalizing on the Coyotes' service errors, Mount Mercy added pressure with service aces from Sven Krieg, extending their lead. Consistent setting from Alexandre Jette facilitated the Mustangs' efficient attack, leading to another decisive set win.

Mount Mercy dominated the third set, securing a 25-10 win with strong performances from Krieg and Curdin. The Mustangs took advantage of the Coyotes' errors, including multiple attack errors, to build early momentum. Jette orchestrated the offense with numerous assists, while Nikola Kovacevic added a service ace to extend the lead. Krieg sealed the victory with a service ace.

Richard Struska showcased precision with a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage and contributed 11 digs. Curdin led the Mustangs with 16 kills and a total of 17 points. Krieg bolstered the offense with five kills on a .556 hitting percentage and three aces. Fofano posted eight kills and seven digs, impacting both the attack and defense.

For the Coyotes, Dallas Manaku emerged as a key player, recording 17 assists and a block assist across three sets. He also added four digs to support the defense. Kaleb Cui led the attack with eight kills on 33 attempts, totaling 8.0 points despite committing six errors.

Conor Williams demonstrated serving skill with two aces, also contributing three kills and four digs. Alexander Rivera added five kills and one ace, finishing with 6.0 points. Josh Kiely, playing as libero, anchored the defense with seven digs over three sets.

Looking ahead, the Mustangs are set to face Morningside on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.