Mustang Friday
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL THURSDAY-FRIDAY FEB. 24-25
A stretch of five successive home matches continues with a Great Plains Athletic Conference battle against Ottawa University Thursday, Feb. 24, and a non-conference clash with Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference member St. Ambrose University Friday, Feb. 25.
THE SERIES Morningside split last year’s season set against Ottawa, with both teams winning on their home courts. St. Ambrose stands 8-0 all-time versus the Mustangs.
THE MATCH-UP Head coach Addison Mertler’s squad improved to 3-10 overall, picking up their first league victory, with a three-set decision over Kansas Wesleyan University on Feb. 17. The Mustangs did quick work by 25-7, 25-14, and 25-14 scores. “I’m proud of how the guys competed through the entirety of the match, staying focused and disciplined,” Mertler said. “I wanted to challenge them to focus on themselves and the system that we play.” Sophomore outside hitter Jacob Baynes took top honors among the Mustangs’ attacking ranks, recording 20 kills and hitting .621 in the three-set match, resetting his record for kills in a sweep. Freshman outside hitter Tharen Cox and sophomore outside hitter Isaiah Baynes recorded six kills, while freshman outside hitter Dylan Hamil scored five. Freshman outside hitter Jacob DePauw had 39 assists and led the team with three aces. Freshman libero Owen Anderson continued to lead Morningside’s digging corps, recording ten digs in the libero jersey. Junior libero Lucas Begliomini followed with six, and DePauw with five. Cox was the biggest aggressor at the net, recording four block assists. Freshman middle hitter Eric Krenz had a solo block and a block assist, and DePauw had two block assists. Isaiah Baynes ranks among the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ top 15 in total (179 – No. 11) and per set (4.16 – No. 7) kills to lead the Mustangs’ best individual national numbers. Anderson’s dig numbers (114 total and 2.59 per set) are within the first 25, standing No. 23 and 27, respectively. Jacob Baynes’s .254 attack percentage is among the top 50 at the No. 41-best. Ottawa took a 5-6 overall and 2-2 conference record to Kansas Wesleyan on Feb. 23. Senior outside hitter Ashan Jordan led the Braves through 11 matches with 144 kills and a .309 attack percentage. Fellow senior outside hitter Brennan Hagar went into the Coyotes’ meeting one kill shy of 100. SAU opened a three-match week on Feb. 21 with a 2-7 record. Senior middle hitter Jason Bageanis’ 92 kills, and .388 attack percentage led the Fighting Bees over nine contests. He and fellow senior middle hitter Nick Fox have been a formidable defensive net duo combining for 56 blocks in the span. Morningside wraps up its current home set, hosting Dordt University and the University of Jamestown in conference action on March 2 and 3.