WPU Reverse Sweeps Mount Mercy

Cedar Rapids--Less than two weeks after succumbing in a five-setter to the Mustangs, the Statesmen women's volleyball team turned the tables Tuesday with a 3-2 win over Mount Mercy in Heart of America Athletic Conference action.

William Penn (12-12, 8-5 Heart), which won by scores of 22-25, 15-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-13, avenged a 3-2 loss to MMU at home just 11 days earlier.

The visitors were outhit .150-.142 overall, including .184-.096 and .235-.059 deficits in the first and second sets, respectively. WPU scored the first point of the night, but were not on top again until the third set.

The Statesmen opened the third with back-to-back points, but allowed Mount Mercy (15-7, 8-6 Heart) to take control with a 5-1 run. William Penn, with help from kills by Corrin Lepper (Sr., Jefferson City, Mo., Biology) and Katlyn Jeter (So., Solon, Iowa, Business Management), stormed back with five unanswered and never trailed in the set again. The squad hit an evening-best .222 in the third.

Despite slowing down a bit in the fourth to .208, the navy and gold stayed alive by limiting the home team to a .109 clip. The set was a seesaw affair that featured 11 ties, including the last at 15-15. Alyvia Johnson (So., Owatonna, Minn., Business Management) tallied that set-tying kill and then posted two more as part of a 4-0 run. The Mustangs closed to within one at 20-19, but Jade Melton (Jr., Hallsville, Mo., Psychology) recorded three kills down the stretch to force a fifth and deciding set.

Melton tallied four winners in the fourth and finished with a team-high 14 kills off the bench on an incredible .480 attack mark (just two errors in 25 attempts).

After allowing MMU to score the first point of the fifth, the Statesmen stole the momentum with seven unanswered, highlighted by two kills by Johnson and Alyssa Young (Sr., Winter Springs, Fla., Biology). Unfortunately, William Penn possibly hit cruise control too early as the Mustangs slowly crept back in and eventually made it a one-point set at 13-12.

Melton then posted a kill for a cushion, but Mount Mercy tallied a side-out to again get within one. Fortunately, Andressa Borges (So., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sports Management), who tallied only four kills in the match, got the biggest one of the night on the next play to close out the reverse sweep. It is the program's first reverse sweep since October 27, 2020, winning against Peru State (also a road match).

Three other Statesmen joined Melton in double figures, including Johnson and Lepper with 13 each and Young with an even dozen.

All 62 of WPU's kills were assisted upon with Macy Bailey (Sr., Bondurant, Iowa, Business Management) leading a trio of setters who reached double figures. The senior ended up with 27 helpers.

In addition to her kill tally, Johnson also dug 23 attacks for a double-double, finishing second on the team to the 24 by Cecily Liphardt (Sr., Lincoln, Neb., Psychology and Business Management). Kaya Caprini (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn., Undecided) tallied 21 digs as well.

The defensive net battle was barely won by William Penn (9-8) with Lepper (one solo, three assists) and Young (four assists) both being a part of four rejections. Seven different Statesmen tallied blocks Tuesday.

"Tonight was all about grit and controlling what we can control," Head Coach Lauren Eldridge said. "We started off a little shaky, but between the second and third set we talked about how we do not have any more next sets or next games. The time is now, we have to go and do what we do best, which is swing hard and block hard. This was a great team win, having everyone step up and play their role."

Next Up: William Penn will travel to Des Moines Saturday to compete in the Grand View Invitational, facing William Woods (Mo.) at 9 a.m. and Xavier (La.) at noon.