Mustangs split Saturday matches

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – Morningside concluded its season opening tournament appearance on a better note than it started, knocking off Loyola 3-0 before seeing a five-set scrap with West Virginia University Institute of Technology slip away. 

"We are still working out our team dynamic and role acceptance," coach Jessica Squier explained following the day's matches. "This trip helped, but there's still a lot of newness to work through."

The Mustangs had an early morning, waking up to a Loyola team that was receiving votes in the NAIA's preseason coaches' poll, but took the win 25-20, 25-23, and 27-25. Sydney Marlow was the headliner for Morningside's offense, striking for 19 kills, but freshman Payten Lode wasn't far behind with 11 kills of her own while hitting at a .476 kill percentage. Nienke van Drunen collected four kills in six attempts over the middle, leading the team with a .667 average. Gillian DePauw dished the ball for 36 assists in the match.

Morningside had just one block in the three-set victory, a collaboration between Marlow and Kylah Brewer, allowing the back row defense to lead the way with 55 digs. Bridget Smith seized the opportunity, with 19 digs in the match, followed by Emerson Smith with 12 and Payton Shoquist with 10. 

Marlow continued where she left off in the day's first match as the Mustangs turned their sights to WVU Tech, striking for 25 of the team's 65 kills in the five-setter. Lode had 13, and Claire Wilson had nine. DePauw had five kills to go along with her 47 assists in the match.

Morningside's block was stronger in the knock-down-drag-out, upping the ante to five blocks, led by DePauw's three block assists, with van Drunen and Brewer each collecting two. Marlow had the lone solo block for the Mustangs, while also turning over 18 digs. Bridget Smith recorded 29 digs and Shoquist had 13.

"During this tournament, we proved to ourselves what we are capable of," reflected Squier. She continued, "I believe what we expect from ourselves has been raised."

The Mustangs return to the Midwest for next week's matches, competing in the Park University Tournament in Parkville, Missouri before opening the GPAC schedule on Aug. 31 with Northwestern.