Mustangs Split Double-Header To Open The Weekend

JOLIET, Ill. - The Mustangs split the opening games of the weekend, defeating St. Xavier with a match score of 3-2 and falling to Bluefield in a nail-biting match, 2-3. 

MATCH 1

In the opening match of the night, the Mustangs battled back after losing the first set 25-21 to the Cougars of St. Xavier. The Mustangs had a slow start with only 6 kills in the set with a hitting percentage of 0.036. The tide seemed to turn in favor of the Mustangs as they went on to win sets two and three 25-20 and 25-16. The Cougars would not go down without a fight as they fought back to win the fourth set 25-23, sending the game to a deciding fifth set. The Mustangs took an early 9-2 lead to start the fifth set but the Cougars pushed back to eventually tie the score 13-13 but the Mustangs held them off winning the match 15-13. 

Jenna Brown, Mary Kate Bendlage, and Ellie Gerdes all recorded double-digit kills with 15, 11, and 11, respectively. Hailey Hested ended the match recording 38 assists and 12 digs with Riley Mussman adding 25 digs. In the end, the Mustangs were able to hold off the Cougars' offensive attempts with only recording a hitting percentage of 0.171 on the match. 

MATCH 2

To end the night, the Mustangs faced off against the Rams of Bluefield (VA) in a nail-biting five sets. The Rams started by taking sets one and two with scores of 25-23 and 25-21, but the Mustangs were not going to go down without a fight. The Mustangs took a twelve-point lead, holding off the Rams to win the third set 25-16, and took that momentum into the fourth set where they won 25-15, forcing a deciding fifth set, which ended in a Rams victory with a score of 15-13. 

Offensively, the Mustangs collected a total of 53 kills with Jenna Brown leading the way with 18 kills and Mary Kate Bendlage right behind her with 15. Hailey Hested recorded 43 assists in the match, putting her just short of last week's total of 49. 

The Rams were able to put the ball away, with four of their players ending in the double digits for kills, with Liangelys Santana leading the way with 19 kills of her team's 53. 

The Mustangs will return to the court on Saturday for another double-header in Joliet, Ill. where they will face Rocky Mountain (Mont.) at 9:00 AM and St. Francis (Ill.) at 11:00 AM.