Statesmen Fought Hard in Narrow 3-2 Loss to Mount Mercy

Cedar Rapids--The No. 15 William Penn men's volleyball team battled fiercely but ultimately succumbed to No. 7 Mount Mercy in a dramatic 3-2 loss in a Heart of America Athletic Conference showdown Tuesday night.

The Statesmen (9-7, 6-3 Heart) fell just short against the Mustangs (14-3, 9-2 Heart), with the match concluding with set scores of 17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 17-25, and 12-15.

In the opening set, William Penn faced an early 6-16 deficit, but they mounted a strong rally, including a 7-3 scoring streak. Despite the momentum shift, the Mustangs weathered the storm and closed out the set with a 25-17 victory.

The second set saw the Statesmen take a 6-2 lead, only for Mount Mercy to answer with a 6-2 run of their own, leveling the score at 8-8. William Penn regained their composure, seizing a 16-14 advantage. In a back-and-forth battle, the Statesmen held their ground, ultimately securing a 25-21 win.

William Penn started strong in the third set, holding a slim 14-11 lead before going on an 8-2 run to push their advantage. Though the Mustangs fought back with a 7-3 stretch, they couldn't close the gap, allowing the Statesmen to take the set 25-20.

The fourth set saw Mount Mercy jump out to an early 13-6 lead. William Penn fought hard to stay in the match, but despite their best efforts, the Mustangs closed out the set with a 25-17 win, forcing the match into a decisive fifth set.

The fifth set was a nail-biter, with both teams exchanging points early on. William Penn held a narrow 7-5 edge, but Mount Mercy fought back, tying the game at 12-12 before scoring the final three points to secure a 15-12 win and take the match 3-2.

Offensively, both teams displayed balanced attacks, with William Penn hitting .140 and Mount Mercy posting a .145 attack percentage. The Statesmen were edged in kills, 56-47, and struggled with attack errors, finishing with 31 compared to the Mustangs' 26.

Ben Cemeno-Castillo (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management) led the charge for William Penn, recording 13 kills. Ben Brinkman (Fr., Appleton, Wis., Undecided) also had a standout performance, adding 11 kills at an impressive .435 attack percentage. Britten Beallis (Jr., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) contributed nine kills, while Josh Bluhm (Fr., Lockport, Ill., Software Engineering) chipped in with eight.

Brady Zell (Fr., Wales, Wis., Business Management) quarterbacked the offense with 39 assists, while João Gabriel Filippelli (So., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) anchored the defense with 16 digs. Tommy Fellows (Fr., Shorewood, Ill., Exercise Science) added 14 digs, with Cemeno-Castillo and Zell both contributing 10 digs apiece.

Next Up: The Statesmen return home to face Morningside in the Penn Activity Center on Friday at 7:00 p.m. for another crucial Heart of America matchup.