Cougars Come Up Short Against Terriers

HIRAM, Ohio. — The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's volleyball team (5-18) traveled to Hiram College (15-9) to take on the Terriers in a non-conference matchup on Wednesday, April 2.  

The road match began in Hiram's favor as it claimed the first set with a 25-21 victory. However, MVNU quickly bounced back in the second set, coming out strong with a .444 hitting percentage and nine kills. The Cougars took the second set 25-18, tying the match at 1-1. 

MVNU continued its momentum in the third set, jumping to a 5-1 lead and maintaining its advantage throughout. MVNU ultimately won the set 25-20, putting it up 2-1 in the match, but Hiram wasn't done yet. The Terriers fought back in the fourth set, dominating with a 25-15 win to tie the match at 2-2. 

Both teams battled back and forth early in the fifth set, but Hiram managed to pull away at the end, winning 15-8 and securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over MVNU. 

Noah Wineberg led the MVNU attack with 10 kills, while Hayvin Larison and Jackson Bush each contributed seven kills. Austin Kolaczkowski orchestrated the offense, tallying 31 assists on the night. Defensively, Cole Custodio was strong with 14 digs, and Larison was a force at the net, recording five blocks. 

What's Next: 

The MVNU men's volleyball team will be traveling to Southfield, Michigan to take on Lawerence Tech University on Saturday, April 5. The first serve will be at 3:00 p.m. 

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,100 students from 33 states and 26 foreign countries.