Pioneers eliminate Mustangs from postseason

OLATHE, Kan. - Top-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene and eighth-seeded Mount Mercy squared off last night in a quarterfinal matchup of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship inside the Cook Center. The Mustangs battled the Pioneers but fell 3-0. 

After trailing by six early in the first set, Mount Mercy hung around with the top seed, coming back to tie it at 16-16 after kills from Mackenzie Murphy and Cassidy Boche coupled with Pioneer errors. Another kill from Murphy kept the Mustangs within one at 19-20 and again at 23-24 after getting a block from Maggie Peters and Kendall McNaull. MidAmerica Nazarene recorded a kill on the next point to take the first set 25-23. 

Consecutive service aces from Jenna Brown gave Mount Mercy an 11-10 lead in the second set, but the momentum swung from that point on. The Pioneers proved why they are ranked 10th in the nation and went on a 15-6 run to win the set, 25-17. The third set was all MidAmerica Nazarene (26-1) as Mount Mercy struggled to get in an offensive flow, totaling only six kills for the set. The Pioneers won the third set 25-13 for the sweep. 

Murphy had a match-high 10 kills while Hailey Hested dished out 22 assists. Riley Mussman finished with eight digs while Brooke Beatty and Murphy each added seven. Mount Mercy ends the season at 20-9, the first time they have reached the 20-win mark in the last three years.