The No. 3 nationally ranked Park University men's volleyball program were in for a tough battle in Marshall, Mo. against No. 12 Missouri Valley College on Saturday. The Pirates and Vikings were close in the first set, but Missouri Valley edged the Pirates in each set for the sweep, 23-25, 22-25, 17-25.

It's a stacked year in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, as the Pirates fall in their tough road assignments and are now 6-2 in conference play and 14-3 on the year, while the Missouri Valley now matches Park's conference record at 6-2 and are 11-2 overall.

The Pirates overtook the Vikings with a 5-4 lead off of a Mihailo Ivanovic and Leonardo Maldonado block, but this would be the last lead Park would hold in the set. Down six points, 17-11, the Pirates got to work with an impressive 6-0 run to tie it at 17. Two service aces by Nicolas Tenius, plus a block and a kill by Ivanovic helped the Pirates get back in it. The match would be tied two more times. Both teams had late 3-0 runs, including Park's three unanswered points that brought it within one-point, 24-23. After a timeout by Missouri Valley though, a service error finished the set at 25-23, Missouri Valley.

Park only managed seven kills in the first and third sets, and were overshadowed by the Vikings in kills and hitting percentage in all sets. The Vikings hit .350 for the match, while the Pirates had their lowest hitting percentage of the season at .022.

The Pirates looked strong out of the gate in set two with a 5-2 lead, but Missouri Valley went on a 3-0 run to tie. Two kills by Joao Friedrich and a kill by Maldonado helped the Pirates regain control at 12-8, but once again the Vikings eventually countered to make it 17-17. At 21-21, a Park service error and a Missouri Valley block put the Vikings out front, 23-21. Tenius came back with a kill to come within one point, but the last two points were captured by the Vikings for a 25-22 second set win.

Park found themselves down six points in set three, 11-5, and clawed back in it with a 4-0 run to come within two points, 11-9. Both teams went on their respective runs, including another four unanswered points for Park to make it 15-14, Missouri Valley. Carston Wellong had two solo blocks in that stretch. A 6-1 scoring swing turned the momentum for a final time to the Vikings, 21-15. They would hold on for the sweep, 25-17.

Tenius was the only Pirate to reach 10 kills in the match. Maldonado had five kills, while Friedrich and Wellong each added four.

Tenius and Friedrich led Park with two service aces each. Park had the advantage in the service department with five aces and only 10 service errors compared to two service aces for Missouri Valley and 18 service errors.

Park had seven total blocks compared to 11 for the Vikings. Ivanovic led in that department with three and Maldonado was one behind his teammate with two.

Joao Bonanoni and Eduardo Sabi co-led Park in digs with six apiece, while Sabi also had 22 assists.

The Pirates will regroup for their home match on Claude English Court on Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm against No. 5 Grand View University. WATCH
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