The Pirates are out to an impressive start in 2023 with their third consecutive sweep. Park now is 3-0 on the year with a 2-0 Heart record, while the Statesmen have played some difficult matches, resulting in a 1-3 record and 0-1 in their first conference match.
These two top of the line programs have a brief history, only meeting on the court since Park joined the Heart. Over the last three seasons, Park has a 5-2 record against William Penn. The last four matches are even at 2-2 with each team only able to win at home against the other. This; however, is the first sweep of any of the last four matches.
It was great night of volleyball in Breckon Sports Center, which saw 43 kills from the Pirates, including 21 in set two. Park's attack percentage was solid at .319, hitting over 100 points higher than the Statesmen at .211.
Both sides were in a tug of war throughout the match for control of the lead and in set one Park took a 10-5 lead scoring on five of six points immediately beforehand.
Soon Park built up its largest set one lead of seven points at 14-7.
William Penn responded and brought it within four points, but
Joao Friedrich for Park had timely kills to keep the Statesmen an arm's length away. Four kills came in the first set by Friedrich and he led all players with 14 kills on the night.
Not to mention, Park had a 7-2 advantage in set one in terms of service errors, as William Penn missed the mark five more times than Park to open the match.
The Statesmen were within three points down the homestretch, but Park's
Samuel Essilfie left no doubt with a set ending kill for the 25-21 victory. Essilfie was striking gold with 13 kills on a .375 hitting percentage. Not to mention, his defensive numbers were nothing to glance over with five digs and five total blocks.
Following the match, Essilfie was the guest for a Pirate Post-Game interview to go over the match from his lens.
Neither side showed any signs of giving in during set two. The score was tied 15 different times and no team led by more than 2 points until late in the second set.
A service error and an attack error by the Statesmen gave Park the 19-17 lead, but then Friedrich flew in for the kill to cause a William Penn timeout at 20-17.
The Pirates and the Statesmen kept one another from going on long scoring runs, but the Pirates had enough distance between them and William Penn for the 25-22 set two win.
Daniel Isernhagen and
Veljko Stojic got in on the action with a kill each to secure Park's last two points in set two, 25-22.
A 7-3 William Penn lead began the third set and it appeared this one would go to a fourth set in the early going. The Pirates flipped the script though and went on their own 7-3 run to tie the score at 10-all.
After a little back and forth, the Pirates had a flurry of points come in after a seven-of-eight scoring run to put them up four points, 18-14. The scoring run was a combination of three kills by the Pirates and a variety of four errors on William Penn.
By the end of the set, the Pirates completed the turn around in set three with their largest lead of six points in the final set. This is also where the match cut out with a 25-19 set and match victory for the Pirates.
William Penn finished with four more service errors than Park at 13. A major advantage Park had was in their blocking with three solo blocks and 14 block assists, while the Statesmen had three solo blocks and only two block assists.
Heading up the blocking efforts for Park was last week's Heart Defender of the Week,
Mihailo Ivanovic with six total blocks tonight.
Isernhagen and Stojic had respectable evenings with six kills each. Isernhagen led Park with a .556 hitting percentage from the middle, while Stojic was second on the team and nearly earned a double-double with nine digs.
Park's dig leader was
Leonardo Leao, putting himself out there for 10 digs.
Eduardo Faquin was an artist at work tonight with 38 assists, just over 12 assists per set.
Park will have a short turnaround for a Thursday evening match against Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa at 7pm.
Watch the live-action here.
Box Score
#ParkUNation
