The No. 7 nationally ranked Park University women's volleyball program gutted through a tough senior night matchup with MidAmerica Nazarene University and delivered a senior night win in four sets, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-17.
The Pirates went a perfect 17-0 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, a feat they have reached three out of their four seasons in the Heart. They are currently on a 23-match win streak for a 27-2 overall record. The Pioneers have a 10-7 conference record and are 14-12 on the season.
These teams met on Park's senior night last year as well, which turned into a five-set match that Park prevailed in. On that night a year ago, the Pirates and Pioneers shared the 2022 Heart Regular Season Title, but this year Park will enjoy it all to themselves.
The Pirates have locked themselves in at the No. 1 overall seed in the Heart Conference Tournament with a lot of momentum behind them and home court advantage through the playoffs.
The Pirates were held to below their season average of .229 against MidAmerica Nazarene at .152 for the night. The Pioneers have averaged a .175 hitting percentage and were at .110 tonight.
The Pirates still put up numbers across the board though with three double-doubles from
Grecia Ung,
Malaina Hensley, and
Arianna Marino. Ung had her season-high with 18 kills and was impressive with 15 digs, her second straight match of double-figure dig numbers. Hensley and Marino both went over 10 digs, 20 for Hensley and 11 for Marino, while Hensley also racked up 10 kills and Marino put up 43 assists.
Hensley was one of the seven seniors honored pre-match, including
Isabela Ribeiro,
Debora Bernardi,
Barbara Almeida, Jade Galligo, Dorotea Koprivica, and
Victoria Carioba.
The Pirates were hot out of the gate with a five-point lead at 8-3. Things took a shift at 12-6 Park when MidAmerica Nazarene went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead 14-12. The lead when change hands two more times with five ties down the stretch as well. In the end, a four-point run gave the Pioneers the boost they needed to collect a 25-21 win. Hensley gave Park seven kills in set one but to no avail.
Grecia Ung came back in set two with three kills and a service ace, the Pirates had three service aces total in set two. After a 5-4 lead for Park, the lead never changed hands the rest of the way. That's not to say the Pioneers did not rally, as MidAmerica Nazarene only trailed one point after a three-point run at 15-14. But a 4-0 run in response was just what the doctor ordered to take a 19-15 lead. In that four-point span, a block was registered by Bernardi and Marino, and both Marino and Almeida grabbed kills. The margin stayed there as Park equalized the match at 1-1 after a 25-21 win.
A 6-0 run was a rude awakening for the Pirates in set three. The Pioneers had their highest hitting percentage of the night at .208 on 14 kills and four errors, but the Pirates also put up their match-best at 16 kills and four errors for a .240 attack percentage. It was a highlight reel type of set for Ung with eight kills in the set. It was no wonder that she reached her season-high with 18 kills this evening, but the timing couldn't have been better in a massive rally the Pirates needed. At 18-13, it was looking like the Pioneers would secure a 2-1 lead over Park, but seniors got the ball rolling with a service ace and kill by Hensley and then a Bernardi kill to force a MidAmerica Nazarene timeout. Three more points were claimed by Park on a kill by Ung and Bernardi, and a combined block by that same pair to regain the lead 19-18. MidAmerica answered with a score of 19-all, but Park did one better with six of the last eight points for the 25-21 win.
It was looking like another close one in set four at 14-14, but an
Irene Verdino ace got things going for Park with a four-point swing to earn an 18-14 lead. The Pirates were looking to close out senior night strong and did with scoring seven of the last 10 points for a 25-17 win. Almeida made her presence known with three blocks up the middle, which included a combined block she was able to share with fellow senior
Isabela Ribeiro. Almeida then finished the match with her seventh kill for the 3-1 victory.
Joining Hensley, Ung, and Marino in double-figure dig numbers were
Izabella Ceratti with 11 and Verdino with 16.
Another senior in double-digit kills was Bernardi who garnered 10, she is only 26 more kills away from having 1,000 kills in her Pirate career at 974.
The Pirates had five more service aces than the Pioneers at nine, while also have two more service errors than MidAmerica Nazarene at six service errors.
MidAmerica did edge Park slightly in blocks on the night though with 12 compared to Park's 10.
November means Heart post-season is upon us. The Pirates will be back at Breckon Sports Center at 11am on Saturday, November 4 against No. 8 Missouri Valley College.
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