WPU Secures Victory Over Clarke Despite Errors
Oskaloosa–The No. 15 William Penn men’s volleyball team managed to secure a 3-0 win over Clarke in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup on Tuesday, despite committing several unforced errors throughout the match.
The Statesmen (12-7, 9-3 Heart) triumphed in straight sets with scores of 25-23, 25-22, and 25-20, over the Pride (3-18, 2-11 Heart), marking another important victory as they continue conference play.
In the first set, Clarke came out strong, establishing an early 6-2 lead. However, the teams began trading points, and Clarke managed to hold a slim 19-16 advantage. The Statesmen responded with a 9-4 run, ultimately closing out the set with a 25-23 win.
The second set saw a similar back-and-forth struggle. Clarke once again gained an early 7-3 lead, including five consecutive points. William Penn refused to back down, responding with a 5-3 scoring streak and then an impressive 8-0 run. The momentum shifted when the Pride countered with a 7-2 rally. Despite the tense exchange, the Statesmen regained their composure and finished strong, taking the set 25-22.
In the final set, the navy and gold started strong with a 9-6 lead. As both teams traded points, the Statesmen surged ahead with a 7-2 run. Although Clarke fought back, William Penn held their ground, eventually closing out the match 25-20, securing the sweep.
Offensively, William Penn outperformed Clarke in nearly every category, registering 48 kills to the Pride’s 32 and boasting a .300 to .184 advantage in attack percentage. However, the Statesmen struggled with errors, committing 15 attack errors to Clarke’s 13.
Britten Beallis (Jr., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) was a standout, leading the team with 18 kills on an impressive .783 attack percentage. Ben Cemeno-Castillo (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management) contributed 12 kills.
Brady Zell (Fr., Wales, Wis., Business Management) played a key role in orchestrating the offense with 42 assists, while João Gabriel Filippelli (So., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) anchored the defense with 13 digs. Zell and Tommy Fellows (Fr., Shorewood, Ill., Exercise Science) also added 12 and 11 digs, respectively.
While the team had some issues with service errors (14 in total) and three blocking errors, Beallis contributed to the defense with four block assists.
“Good effort tonight by our guys,” said Head Coach Luke Bentley. “Proud of the ones who stepped up to get us over the hump to get a W tonight.”
Next Up: The Statesmen will travel to St. Louis, Mo., to face Missouri Baptist on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in another Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup.
