LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The Sabercats set program records, beat a team for the first time, and swept the last match of what was basically a perfect night at MBU.

With a gutsy 3-2 win over Marian, the Sabercats went on to beat Greenville University in three sets to mark their third win in a row.

OVERVIEW

• Results: 
  • Maranatha 3-2 Marian (25-20, 25-27, 22-25, 25-16, 17-15)
  • Maranatha 3-0 Greenville (25-19, 25-20, 25-20)
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 123, 202
• Records: MBU (6-10), MU (4-6), GU (1-9)

STORY

Marian: The Sabercats had multiple milestones in the first match - Taylor Dafoe beat his own program record by notching 59 assists; Joel Depue logged a career-high 17 kills; Steve Wagner tied his career-high of 17 digs, and Joel Smith registered a career-best 12 digs. The Sabercats were firing on all cylinders offensively and defensively, as they boasted a polished attack behind a 22-kill, 46-percent performance from Phillip Holbrook. MBU hit a season-best .338 as a team, and they outlasted their Wisconsin opponents after over two hours of intense competition on the MBU campus.

A story? More like an achievements list, and the achievements were the icing on the cake of the team's first-ever win over Marian. And it offset an earlier-season loss to the Sabres, in which the Sabercats scored just 41 points in the entire match. A different team? No, but it was an entirely different storyline.

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Greenville: Things died down in terms of anxiety and nerves after that first match, and it was for the better. Yes, Greenville put up a struggle, but the Sabercats dusted the Panthers in straight sets to reinforce the earlier-season win at NCCAA Nationals. Holbrook once again led the way with 12 kills, and the Sabercats were even sharper offensively than they were in the first match, hitting .346 behind a scrappy defense.

All in all, the Sabercats were as determined as they were balanced. And after making quick work of Greenville, it was a celebratory night at MBU.

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MBU Starters: 3- Massey, 4- McKee, 5- Dafoe, 6- Rossiter, 8- Depue, 13- Wagner (L), 15- Smith

STATS (see box score)

• Dafoe: Program-record 59 assists against Marian
• MBU: .346 attack percentage against Greenville - the best mark this season
• Series: Marian leads the all-time series 3-1
• Series: Greenville leads the MBU-GU series 3-2

OPPONENTS

• Marian competes in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NCAA DIII)
• Greenville competes in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA DIII)

NEXT

The Sabercats will stay at home for a 7:00 p.m. match against St. Norbert on Tuesday. Find details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.