Pioneers eliminate Mustangs from conference tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy women's volleyball team saw their Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament come to an end on Saturday, falling 3-0 to MidAmerica Nazarene inside Hennessey Rec Center. The Mustangs fell 25-16, 25-21, and 25-21 in quarterfinal action.

The Pioneers carried the momentum from the start, forcing the Mustangs on their heels and to play from behind. Madi Havermann brought Mount Mercy within six after a kill at the 19-13 point in the first set, but the Mustangs couldn't get any closer. MidAmerica Nazarene (15-12) jumped out to an early lead in the second set, but back to back aces from Mackenzie Murphy tied it at 18 all, giving Mount Mercy some life. An attack error by the Pioneers gave the Mustangs their first lead of the set, 20-19, but MidAmerica Nazarene would rattle off six of the next seven points to take a 2-0 set lead. Mount Mercy had their best set in the third, where the two teams traded points throughout the entire set. It was all notched up at 19 before the Pioneers used another late set, 6-2, run to end the match. 

Murphy paced the Mustangs with 12 kills, 14 digs, and two aces. Rylie Mussman also tallied 14 digs. Katie Kopriva chipped in with nine kills and Jenna Brown added five. Hailey Hested finished with 27 assists, taking her over the 1,000 assist mark for the season, becoming just the eighth Mustang to achieve this feat. Mount Mercy's 22 wins are the most since the 2019 season, as the Mustangs won the Heart of America North Division with the record of 22-7.