WPU Handles Culver-Stockton in Home Sweep
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen men’s volleyball team took care of business Saturday as it swept Culver-Stockton 3-0 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.
#5 William Penn (17-3, 10-2 Heart), which won its fifth match in a row, took down the Wildcats by set scores of 25-14, 25-12, 25-12. To add the proverbial cherry on top, Grand View also lost Saturday, moving the Statesmen into a tie with their rivals for the top spot in the Heart.
The hosts hit .359 Saturday, while keeping C-SC in the red at -.028. They were also net-positive in serving for the first time this season, recording 10 aces against just eight errors.
After permitting the first point of the afternoon to the Wildcats (3-21, 0-12 Heart), the navy and gold, guided by three aces from Anthony Torres (Sr., Aurora, Ill., Computer Science), scored the next seven points and rolled to the victory in the opening set. Torres finished with four aces Saturday.
WPU went wire-to-wire in the second round before again giving up the opening point of the third set. The home crew then reeled off eight in a row en route to completing the sweep.
It was a total team effort as eight different players managed a kill, led by six from Ike Papes (Sr., Elwood, Ill., Sports Management).
The quartet of Ben Cemeno-Castillo (So., Joliet, Ill., Business Management), Landon Krause (Sr., Appleton, Wis., Business Management), Britten Beallis (So., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management), and Charlie Figy (Sr., Appleton, Wis., Secondary Education PE K-12) all added five offensive winners as well.
WPU employed two setters with Matt Helmick (Sr., Fullerton, Calif., Business Management) recording 16 assists and Cezar Pedroso (So., Curitiba, Brazil, Software Engineering) tallying 14.
Beallis was right behind Torres with three aces, while Papes and Joao Gabriel Filippelli (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) both recorded five digs.
Figy headlined the blocking efforts with three assists; overall, the hosts posted a 5-2 edge in blocks.
“I am proud of our group for rebounding from a tough win last night and coming out on top today,” Head Coach Luke Bentley said.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Dubuque next Tuesday to face Clarke in Heart play at 7 p.m.
