Mustangs Drop Four-Set Road Match to Yellowjackets

LAMONI, Iowa - The Mount Mercy University women's volleyball team dropped a four-set Heart of America Athletic Conference contest Saturday afternoon, falling to Graceland University 25-22, 25-22, 11-25, 25-19 at Morden Center. The Mustangs move to 11-10 overall and 6-8 in league play, while the Yellowjackets improve to 6-19 and 2-12.

Despite a strong third-set response, Mount Mercy was unable to sustain offensive consistency across the match. The Mustangs posted a .122 team hitting percentage with 50 total kills on 148 attempts. Graceland finished at .106 efficiency, capitalizing on blocking and service pressure in key moments.

Hallie Bedier led Mount Mercy with 14 kills and a .250 attack percentage, adding two digs and one block assist for 14.5 total points. Mary Kate Bendlage matched Bedier's output with 14 kills of her own while contributing five digs and a pair of block assists. Alivia Arsenault added nine kills on 28 swings, while Teresa Pattanaro posted seven kills and six errors on 16 attempts to round out the Mustangs' primary hitters.

Delaney Rhoden directed the offense with 24 assists and added eight digs and a block assist. Maddie Marquardt supplemented the setting duties with 16 assists and recorded two block assists and two kills. Defensively, Kate Wright anchored the back row with a match-high 24 digs, while Brooke Ellyson contributed 14.

Mount Mercy's blocking unit registered 10 assisted blocks and two solo efforts, led by Pattanaro and Bendlage with three and one block assists, respectively. Bella Dantzler contributed four kills and two block assists to the front-line effort. The Mustangs struggled at the service line, recording just one ace against four errors.

Graceland used a balanced attack paced by Kaci Young, who finished with 12 kills on 38 attempts. Kaylee Baker added seven kills and was a dominant presence at the net with 13 total blocks (two solo, 11 assists). Setter Allison Sanderguided the Yellowjacket offense with 27 assists and four service aces. Graceland totaled 32 block assists and two solo blocks, disrupting Mount Mercy's rhythm at critical stretches in sets one, two, and four.

After falling behind 0–2 in the match, the Mustangs rebounded with a decisive third-set victory, hitting .400 with just one attack error. Mount Mercy opened the set with a 7–2 lead behind multiple kills from Bendlage and Bedier and a service ace from Brooklyn Miller. The Mustangs sustained pressure with efficient side-out conversion and a 15–5 scoring run before closing out the frame 25–11.

The fourth set saw Graceland regain momentum with early service aces and continued blocking success. Mount Mercy briefly tied the score at 11–11 following a kill from Bendlage and a block assist by Rhoden and Pattanaro. However, the Yellowjackets closed on a 14–8 run, fueled by back-to-back kills from Young and Baker to seal the match.

Mount Mercy finished the afternoon with advantages in total kills (50–41) and digs (70–60) but trailed significantly in total blocks (12.0–3.0) and service aces (10–1). The Mustangs converted just 1-of-5 set points in the first two frames, both of which ended 25–22 in favor of Graceland.

The Mustangs return to action Tuesday, Oct. 21, when they travel to William Penn for another conference match. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.