Mustangs Sweep Doubleheader at Big Dogs Classic

JOLIET, Ill. — Mount Mercy's women's volleyball team finished play at the Big Dogs Classic with a commanding doubleheader sweep Saturday, defeating Saint Xavier (25-17, 25-19, 25-23) and Georgetown (25-9, 25-13, 25-21) to improve its record to 5-2.

Match One: Mount Mercy 3, Saint Xavier 0

Mount Mercy set the tone early against Saint Xavier with a 13-4 run in the opening set, fueled by back-to-back kills from Mary Kate Bendlage and an ace from Eryn Jackson. The Mustangs hit .265 in the frame and closed on a block assist from Bella Dantzler and Alivia Arsenault to seal a 25-17 win.

The second set followed a similar pattern as Mount Mercy built a 6-1 lead behind three straight service aces from libero Brooke Ellyson. Bendlage added two kills during the stretch, and the Mustangs maintained control to close 25-19.

In the third, Saint Xavier extended rallies and trimmed the deficit to one late, but Mount Mercy capitalized on critical attack errors to finish the sweep, 25-23.

Bendlage led with 11 kills, while hitting .100 on 30 attempts, and added two service aces for 13.0 points. Middle blocker Sam Schrage was highly efficient, recording eight kills on 12 swings (.667). Dantzler chipped in five kills and two blocks. Setter Maddie Marquardt guided the offense with 22 assists, while Ellyson anchored the defense with six digs and a team-high four aces.

As a team, Mount Mercy hit .275 with 35 kills on 91 attempts, while limiting Saint Xavier to .164. The Mustangs posted 10 service aces, compared to five for the Cougars.

Match Two: Mount Mercy 3, Georgetown 0

The Mustangs carried their momentum into the second match of the morning, overwhelming Georgetown with a dominant first set. Mount Mercy opened on a 9-3 run behind three kills from Bendlage and an ace from setter Delaney Rhoden. Arsenault and Hallie Bedier combined for seven kills in the frame, and the Mustangs hit .345 en route to a 25-9 win.

The second set featured a decisive service run from Marquardt, who delivered three straight aces during a 10-0 start. Bedier and Taia Hodgkinson each contributed kills in the stretch, and Mount Mercy capitalized on eight Georgetown attack errors to win 25-13.

Georgetown pushed back in the third, pulling within 23-21 after consecutive kills from Maria Alves. However, Mount Mercy closed the match with a kill from Arsenault followed by a Georgetown service error, securing the sweep.

Bedier paced the attack with eight kills on .400 hitting, while Arsenault and Hodgkinson each added eight kills of their own. Bendlage finished with six kills, and Schrage added four. Marquardt distributed 14 assists and notched five service aces, while Kate Wright and Rhoden chipped in two aces apiece.

The Mustangs hit .301 for the match with 39 kills on 83 swings. The defense limited Georgetown to -.075 hitting, forcing 22 attack errors across three sets.

Doubleheader Notes

Across the two matches, Mount Mercy totaled 74 kills with a combined .288 hitting percentage. The Mustangs also racked up 19 service aces while holding opponents to just 10. Bendlage led all hitters with 17 kills on the day, while Schrage and Hodgkinson combined for 20 kills in the middle.

Defensively, Ellyson and Wright steadied the back row, collecting 19 digs between them. Marquardt finished with 36 assists and seven service aces, directing an offense that never lost a set across the doubleheader.

Mount Mercy (5-2) will open Heart of America Athletic Conference play on Friday, Sept. 5, hosting Missouri Valley at the Hennessey Recreation Center. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.