Mustangs fall to 10th-ranked Pirates, unbeaten Pioneers

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy women's volleyball team had their four-match winning streak snapped as they faced their toughest competition yet this season, going up against two Heart of America Athletic Conference south division opponents. On Friday night, the Mustangs lost to 10th-ranked Park (Mo.) 3-0 and on Saturday afternoon fell to undefeated MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 3-0 as well. 

Mackenzie Murphy and Jenna Brown opened the match against Park (17-4, 11-1 Heart) with consecutive kills and Izzie McKinley followed it up with a service ace for a quick 3-0 Mustang lead. The Pirates were not to be deterred as they rattled off the next six points. Mount Mercy took the lead at the 13-12 mark after a Katie Kopriva kill, but Park proved why they are 10th in the country and went on 11-4 run to take the first set 25-18. The second set started off the exact same with the Mustangs taking a 3-0 lead. It was notched up at 10 all before Park was able to go on another run for the set two 25-17 win. Despite having their backs against the wall, Mount Mercy put up their best effort in the third set. The Mustangs were down 21-13, but another McKinley ace, kills from Murphy and Brown, and a Pirate error cut the lead to 21-17 and forced a Park timeout. Mount Mercy kept pushing and got within two, 23-21 after a kill from Baylee Russ, forcing Park to use their final timeout. The Pirates held off the Mustang comeback with back-to-back kills for the set three 25-21 win. 

Kopriva led the way with nine kills, Murphy added seven, and Brown six. Rylie Mussman finished with 17 digs and Hailey Hested tallied 23 kills and 12 digs for eighth straight double-double and 14th of the season. 

On Saturday, Mount Mercy was looking to hand MidAmerica Nazarene (19-0, 12-0 Heart) their first loss of the season, but the Pioneers backed-up their record. The Mustangs fell behind early, 9-3 and never regrouped, dropping the first set 25-14. A solo block from Maggie Peters brought Mount Mercy within two at the 7-5 mark in the second set. However, the next seven points went to MidAmerica Nazarene before the Mustangs could stop their run on a kill from Russ. Mount Mercy scored three straight points on two separate occasions, but it was not enough, falling 25-12 in set two. The Mustangs stuck with the Pioneers early in the third set, only being down one, 10-9. Another seven-point swing was all MidAmerica Nazarene needed to take the third set 25-18. 

McKinley controlled the Mount Mercy (15-6, 8-5 Heart) offense, dishing out assists to nine different Mustangs. She also finished with a kill of her own and eight digs. Cassidy Boche totaled eight kills and Kopriva seven. 

Mount Mercy continues their five-match home stint as William Penn (11-12, 7-5 Heart) comes to town on Tuesday, Oct. 11 for a Heart contest beginning at 7:00 pm inside Hennessey Rec. Center.