(Mesa, AZ) Playing against the No. 1 team in all of the NAIA, the Park University Gilbert men’s volleyball team was not given much of a chance to even compete tonight at Arizona Athletic Grounds. Not only did they compete, the Buccaneers earned the respect of The Master’s University Mustangs in a 3-1 (18-25, 25-22, 16-25, 15-25) loss.
The Master’s (11-0, 1-0) did not start all of their heavy hitters tonight. They played a couple starters but moved some of their backups into the lineup. But they faced a determined Bucs squad who was not going to go quietly into that goodnight.
In the first set the Mustangs came out firing and while they won the set 25-18, the Buccaneers, after a slow start, showed they were not afraid. They only had eight kills in the set but only made two attack errors.
The Bucs started the second set winning the first four points and never trailed. The Bucs would open the lead to as large as five points on six different occasions throughout the set. The Mustangs would close the lead to two after trailing 20-15 but could get no closer and the Bucs tied the match at a set apiece. Park doubled its kill total from the first set with 16.
The Master’s could no longer take Park Gilbert lightly. The Bucs showed they are young, but on the rise. In the third set, all of the normal starters were on the floor for the top-ranked Mustangs and back at their usual positions.
The Master’s retook control of the match with their starters on the floor but Park stated within shouting distance through the first 17 points of the third set and 20 points of the fourth set before The Master’s would start to pull away.
On Wednesday, the Bucs showed their youthful experience wit 34 errors and only 25 kills. Tonight, they displayed their talent and the possibilities for themselves in the future. The Bucs had 43 kills and only 20 errors as they hit .209.
The Bucs were led by their freshman as the top four kills leaders were rookies. Tucson, Ariz., native Dominic Smith set a new career high for kills with 21. This is the third highest total in school history and ties the freshman record for the kills in a match. Smith set the freshman record for attacks in a match with 55 which is also second most in a match in school history. Smith is averaging almost 11 kills per match so far this season.
In addition, freshman middle blocker Christian Brooks and outside hitter Azzlyn Potts each had seven kills.
Senior setter Jake Burdick had 35 assists and sophomore libero Zac York led the team with nine digs.
The Buccaneers do not have time to revel in their performance from tonight as they need to ramp back up again tomorrow as the No.. 14 team in the country in Hope International comes to town to take on the Buccos. The game will be played at Chandler Prep Academy in Chandler, Ariz., tomorrow afternoon starting at 1 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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