Three in a Row

MILWAUKEE -- It might not have been their prettiest performance, but the Sabercats had no trouble taking home a straight-set sweep from Mount Mary University.

Three student-athletes registered double-digit digs while Claire Hansel and Karsey Johnson recorded double-digit kills in a job that took just over an hour for the Sabercats to finish.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 3-0 Mount Mary (25-14, 25-15, 25-18)
• Venue: Bloechl Center, Mount Mary University
• Location: Milwaukee
• Attendance: 65
• Record: MBU (12-3), MMU (2-18)

STORY

This was the 50th meeting between the two teams, and the Sabercats ended up dominating the play as they have done in the recent matchups. MBU attacked at a clip of .400 in the first set alone to take home a 25-14 win, announcing their intentions right from the get-go.

Things got sloppy in the second set, as Maranatha struggled to find a rhythm at the net - they posted eight kills but offset the damage with nine miscues. Thankfully, Gabrielle Carpenter picked up the slack, marking her 100th career match with three blocks in quick succession in the middle stages of the set. Carpenter's defensive presence gave the Sabercats new momentum, as they fought back from a 9-13 deficit to take a 17-14 lead. And they didn't stop there. Late kills from Hansel, Kelsey Johnson, and Carpenter fueled an inexorable run of 14-2 to decide the set and give Maranatha palpable momentum going into the third frame.

The win came in the next set sure enough, and only a half-hearted run late in the set from Mount Mary threatened to do damage. After Maranatha went up 23-12, the hosts strung together a 6-1 run to gain some momentum, but a late service error from the Blue Angels ended the match with a whimper.

McKenzie Janke (17), Jessica Ureke (13), and Kelsey Johnson (10) all recorded double-digit kills for Maranatha, as the defense kept the win a possibility through the three-set win. 

MBU Starters: 4- Hansel, 7- Janke, 9- Johnson, 10- Johnson, 12- Brimer, 17- Carpenter, 22- Ureke

STATS

• Hansel: 11 kills, 7 digs
• Janke: led MBU with 17 digs
• MBU: kept Mt. Mary to attacking at -.043 for the night
• Last time: MBU swept Mt. Mary in Watertown
• Series: Maranatha leads the all-time series 35-15

OPPONENTS

• Mount Mary (NCAA DIII) competes in the American Collegiate Athletic Association
• Mount Mary will be preparing for the ACAA Tournament, which begins November 9

NEXT

The Sabercats will travel to Edgewood College for a triangular with Edgewood and Illinois Tech on Saturday. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.