Statesmen Triumph in Five-Set Upset Against Grand View

Des Moines--The William Penn men's volleyball team battled through an intense five-set match against Heart of America Athletic Conference rival Grand View, ultimately securing a 3-2 victory Tuesday.

The Statesmen (7-5, 4-1 Heart) held off the No. 4 seed Vikings (6-2, 4-1 Heart), handing them their first conference loss of the season, with set scores of 25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 23-25, and 15-11.

The opening set saw both teams trading points early on, tied at 12-12, before William Penn surged with a 10-2 run to take a commanding 22-14 lead. Though Grand View tried to respond, they couldn't close the gap, and the Statesmen wrapped up the first set, 25-18.

The second set unfolded similarly, with William Penn holding an 11-10 lead before stretching it to 19-14. Grand View fought back, narrowing the lead to 20-19 after a 5-1 run. However, the Statesmen managed to regain control, finishing the set with a 5-2 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, neither team could gain a significant advantage, as the score remained tied at 19-19. Grand View found an opening, however, with a 6-1 run, sealing a 25-20 victory to keep the match alive.

The fourth set was a dramatic back-and-forth affair. William Penn jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but the Vikings responded with a 10-3 streak, taking a 12-10 advantage. Grand View extended their lead to four points at 18-14, but the Statesmen clawed back with a 7-5 run to tie the set at 23-23. However, the Vikings ultimately closed it out, winning the set 25-23.

The fifth set saw Grand View take an early 4-0 lead, but William Penn responded with a 9-5 rally to even the score at 9-9. From there, the Statesmen surged with a 6-2 run to claim the decisive 15-11 victory and seal the match.

Statistically, the Statesmen outpaced Grand View in kills (61-53) and posted a .218 hitting percentage compared to the Vikings' .170. Both teams struggled with attack errors, committing 29 apiece.

Ben Cemeno-Castillo (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management) led the offensive charge with 16 kills and three service aces, followed closely by Tommy Fellows (Fr., Shorewood, Ill., Exercise Science) (18 kills) and Britten Beallis (Jr., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) (11 kills). Josh Bluhm (Fr., Lockport, Ill., Software Engineering) added nine kills to the effort.

Brady Zell (Fr., Wales, Wis., Business Management) set the tone for the offense with 44 assists, while João Gabriel Filippelli (So., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) contributed 10 assists of his own. Zell also added 12 digs, and Filippelli finished with 10 digs.

At the net, the Statesmen registered 14 blocks, with Bluhm anchoring the defense with six blocks (two solo, four assists). Ben Brinkman (Fr., Appleton, Wis., Undecided) (one sole, four assists) and Beallis (two solos, three assists) also played key roles in shutting down the Vikings' attack.

"What a match for this group! Proud of the resiliency and fight," said Head Coach Luke Bentley. "Always great to get a win up in Des Moines."

Next Up: The Statesmen will travel to Lamoni, Iowa, to face Graceland on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in another Heart of America Athletic Conference showdown.