WPU Sweeps Dordt in Commanding Performance
Sioux Center–The No. 5 William Penn men’s volleyball team delivered a dominant performance Friday night, sweeping Dordt 3-0 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference showdown.
The Statesmen (4-5, 1-1 Heart) overcame early struggles to overpower the Defenders (5-3, 0-2 Heart), claiming victory with set scores of 25-22, 25-8, and 25-23.
William Penn opened the first set with an 8-5 lead before a back-and-forth battle ensued. Dordt kept pace, but the Statesmen held firm, edging out a 25-22 win.
The second set was all WPU, as the visitors exploded out of the gate with an 11-2 run. Dordt managed a brief response, but another Statesmen surge—this time an 8-2 run—sealed a commanding 25-8 victory.
Facing elimination, Dordt fought back in the third set, grabbing an early 8-6 lead. The teams traded points, with the Defenders maintaining a slim advantage. However, William Penn responded with an 8-2 push to take control at 19-17. Despite Dordt’s late efforts, the Statesmen closed out the match with a 25-23 win.
Though Mount Mercy held the edge in kills (34-29) and hitting percentage (.295 to .042), the Statesmen capitalized on their opponents’ mistakes, recording just 11 errors compared to Dordt’s 25.
Britten Beallis (Jr., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) led the charge with 10 kills at a blistering .692 attack rate, while Ben Cemeno-Castillo (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management) added nine kills. Freshman Ben Brinkman (Fr., Appleton, Wis., Undecided) contributed eight kills.
Brady Zell (Fr., Wales, Wis., Business Management) orchestrated the offense with 29 assists, while João Gabriel Filippelli (So., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) anchored the defense with 13 digs. Zell chipped in eight digs of his own.
At the net, WPU dominated with 12 blocks. Beallis was a force defensively, tallying eight total blocks (two solo, six assists).
“Nice way to start out our first away conference weekend,” said Head Coach Luke Bentley. “Looking forward to getting another chance to compete tomorrow morning.”
Next Up: The Statesmen continue their road trip Saturday morning, facing Morningside in another Heart contest at 11:00 a.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.
