Mustangs Come Up Short in Road Test Against Statesmen

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - The Mount Mercy University women's volleyball team dropped a four-set match to William Penn University on Tuesday night, 25-15, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20, in Heart of America Athletic Conference play at the Penn Activity Center. With the loss, the Mustangs move to 11-11 overall and 6-9 in conference play.

Mount Mercy recorded 39 kills on 170 total attacks for a .012 hitting percentage, while William Penn finished with 48 kills at a .184 clip. The Mustangs totaled 30 assists, nine service aces, and 10 total blocks in the contest.

Mary Kate Bendlage led the Mount Mercy attack with 10 kills and 14 digs, adding one block assist and a team-high 10.5 points. Setter Maddie Marquardt distributed 15 assists and contributed nine digs and a kill. Hallie Bedier and Taia Hodgkinson followed with seven kills each, while Teresa Pattanaro registered six kills and four block assists for eight total points.

Defensively, Brooke Ellyson anchored the back row with 12 digs and added six service aces, accounting for eight total points. Eryn Jackson recorded six digs and two service aces, while Delaney Rhoden added 11 assists, five digs, and one ace. Bella Dantzler led the team in blocks with two block assists.

Mount Mercy struggled to find rhythm early, hitting -.093 in the opening frame. William Penn opened the set with a 10–5 run behind strong play from Alix Robinson and Maju Vieira. Despite late points from Bendlage and Bedier, the Mustangs were unable to close the gap, as William Penn closed the set with three straight kills.

The Mustangs rebounded in the second set, improving to a .162 hitting percentage. Mount Mercy took advantage of William Penn's seven attack errors and three service errors in the frame. A 17–13 lead after a Bendlage kill forced a William Penn timeout. Late kills from Bedier and Arsenault, combined with a block from Dantzler and Pattanaro, sealed the set for the Mustangs, evening the match at one set apiece.

Mount Mercy opened the third set strong, building an 8–3 advantage after back-to-back service aces from Ellyson. However, the Statesmen responded with a 7–2 run to tie the frame at 10–10. Both teams exchanged sideouts through the midpoint, but Mount Mercy's attack efficiency dropped late, committing 12 errors in the set. Vieira and Robinson combined for nine kills to give William Penn the 2–1 match lead.

In the final frame, William Penn maintained consistent side-out efficiency, hitting .189 while holding Mount Mercy to -.050. The Mustangs trailed early after a 4–0 Statesmen run and were unable to recover despite kills from Pattanaro, Bedier, and Bendlage. Ellyson's service ace trimmed the deficit to 10–12, but a series of Mount Mercy attack errors allowed William Penn to pull away late. Robinson's 12th kill of the night sealed the match for the home team.

Mount Mercy will be back in action on Friday, October 24, hosting Graceland to Hennesey Recreation Center, with first serve starting at 7 p.m.