March 4, 2023 | by Taylor Pill

LEAD

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Sabercats continue to test themselves against tight Division III competition, taking straight-set losses to Trin and North Park at the North Park Tri.

Next up will be the Sabercats' second home match of the season, as they host Viterbo on Monday night, March 6, at 7:00 p.m.

OVERVIEW

• Final:
  • Maranatha 0-3 Trine (21-25, 11-25, 22-25)
  • Maranatha 0-3 North Park (20-25, 14-25, 19-25)
• Venue: North Park Gymnasium - North Park University
• Event: North Park Tri
• Location: Chicago, Ill.
• Records: MBU (0-26), TU (9-9), NP (8-7)

STORY   

The Sabercats showed competitiveness against Trine, logging 21 and 22 points in the first and third sets. The biggest difference in the opening stanza was in the hitting, as Trine put down 15 kills while the Sabercats compiled just seven. After the offense-heavy opener, the Thunder posted their most dominant set win of the day, winning 25-11 after the Sabercats struggled on both sides of the serve.

The final set was a near-repeat of the first one for the Trine hitters. They combined for 15 kills for the second time on the day, but the Sabercats put up their most competitive showing of the match. Early kills from Daniel Says, Drew Smith, and Jacob Valeria kept the Sabercats in striking distance, but Trine did just enough to hold off the charge, taking a 25-22 win without letting the Sabercats take hold of the lead.

The 3-0 win was Trine's sixth win in a row.

The second match of the day was more precise for the Sabercats' hitters, but it was difficult to compete with a powerhouse North Park squad, especially in their home gym. The Vikings pounded down 18 kills in the opening set in a 25-20 win, but Maranatha logged just one attack error. 

Three early kills in the second set was a promising start for Maranatha, but the hosts soon pulled away thanks to a 10-2 run in the middle of the set. After winning 25-14, the match was North Park's to lose.

The key moment of the final frame was a 7-0 North Park run in the early stages of the set, pushing the match out of Maranatha's reach. The Vikings ended the match with three consecutive kills, capping off a 25-19 win to secure the sweep.

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Maranatha Starters: 1- Smith, 2- Mueller, 7- Lacock, 8- Hoffmann (Libero), 12- Says, 17- Valeria, 20- Scott

STATS 

• Box Score (Trine)
• Box Score (North Park)
• Last time: Trine swept Maranatha 3-0 last weekend on Feb. 25, 2022
• Series: Trine leads the all-time series against Maranatha 3-0
• Last Time: Maranatha swept North Park 3-0 on Feb. 15, 2020
• Series: the North Park series is now tied 2-2

OPPONENTS

• Trine competes in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (NCAA Dlll)
• Trine finished the 2022 season with a 12-14 record
• Trine fell 0-3 to Fontbonne in last year's MCVL tournament championship semi-finals
• North Park competes in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (NCAA Dlll)
• North Park finished the 2022 season with a 15-13 record
• North Park was swept 0-3 by Carthage last season in the CCIW Tournament

NEXT

The Sabercats return to Watertown, Wisconsin to face Viterbo on Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.