Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LOCATION: Springfield, Ohio (Wittenberg University)
THE BASICS:
No. 14 Mount St. Joseph (4-2) twice needed five sets to defeat California Lutheran (0-7) and No. 9 Juniata College (0-2) at the Wittenberg Invitational. The Mount has played five sets in five of the first six matches this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mount started slow during a 9 a.m. match against new program California Lutheran, dropping game one before rallying in games two and three to win easily. The Lions could not put away a scrappy Cal Lutheran team that had 10.5 blocks and 54 digs in the match.
MSJ responded in game five with an Alex Vohland kill to make the game 13-11. Vohland served out the match to end the game 15-11.
The Lions could not find a rhythm in the first two games against Juniata, falling 25-23 and 25-21 in game two, despite the Lions having a six point lead midway through the second game. The Lions inserted 6-11 Andrew Chisholm in game three, and Chisholm's size disputed the Juniata outside attack enough for the Lions to squeeze out 25-23 wins in the third and fourth sets.
Two service aces by Alex Vohland to start game five gave MSJ a lead they would not relinquish. MSJ forced Juniata into six errors in game five to cruise to a 15-7 victory.
STANDOUTS
Nathan Herdeman dished out 39 assists against Juniata and 46 against Cal Lutheran. Vohland ripped 16 kills against Juniata and 26 against Cal Lutheran. Jake Neiheisel tossed in 9 kills on 14 attempts against Juniata and Andrew Chisholm had 2 block assists and one solo block in the three games he played.
UP NEXT
The Lions open MCVL play at 7 p.m. CST in Fon Du Lac, Wisc. against Marian University on Friday.
