Graceland Falls to Mount Mercy in Straight Sets

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Graceland University men's volleyball team was unable to overcome a dominant Mount Mercy squad, dropping a three-set match (10-25, 16-25, 17-25) on Friday night at Hennessey Rec Center. The Yellowjackets fell to 2-7 overall and 0-2 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, while the Mustangs improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in conference action.

Match Recap

The Mustangs took control early in the first set, jumping out to a 10-0 lead behind an aggressive attack and Graceland errors. The Yellowjackets struggled to find rhythm offensively, posting a negative hitting percentage (-.231) in the frame. Mount Mercy capitalized with 12 kills and just three errors, hitting .450 to secure a 25-10 first-set victory.

Graceland showed more fight in the second set, keeping the score within striking distance early. Elijah Kline led the charge with several key kills, but the Yellowjackets could not overcome Mount Mercy's defensive presence at the net. The Mustangs recorded 10 total blocks in the match, stifling Graceland's offensive flow. The Yellowjackets hit .000 in the second set, finishing with six kills and six errors, as Mount Mercy claimed a 25-16 win.

The third set saw another strong effort from Graceland, with contributions from Andrew Cziep and Andrew Youssef keeping the match competitive. However, Mount Mercy's efficiency proved to be the difference, as they finished with a .397 hitting percentage while holding the Yellowjackets to -.076. A balanced offensive attack and strong defensive execution allowed the Mustangs to close out the match with a 25-17 win.

Stat Leaders

• Kills: Elijah Kline – 10
• Assists: Luis Garcia – 18
• Digs: Christopher Sawyer – 6
• Blocks: Kalanikapu Aona, Blake Hauschild – 1 block assist each
• Aces: Luis Garcia – 1

Mount Mercy was led by Douglas Fofano with eight kills on a .538 hitting percentage, while Kevin Fiedler and Brian Lynch added eight and seven kills, respectively. Setter Maks Cabajewski orchestrated the offense with 22 assists, and the Mustangs' defensive effort was anchored by Raphael Massara with four block assists and two service aces.

Up Next

Graceland returns to action on Tuesday, February 18, when they travel to Dubuque, Iowa, to take on Clarke University at the Kehl Center. First serve has been moved up to 5:30 p.m. due to expected inclement weather.

For more information on Graceland men's volleyball and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.