Mount Marty Splits Opening-Day Doubleheader

Mount Marty Volleyball kicked off its season in Bourbonnais, Illinois, earning a clean sweep in its morning opener before falling in a four-set battle during the afternoon match.
 

Match 1: Mount Marty 3, Freed-Hardeman 0

(25-19, 25-23, 25-21)

The Lancers opened their season with poise, sweeping Freed-Hardeman in three closely contested sets.

• Net Dominance: Caitlin Guenther spearheaded the Lancers' attack, racking up a match-high 10 kills on an efficient .450 hitting percentage, while adding 4 block assists and 1 solo block for a team-high 13.5 points.

• Offensive Support: Jaya Wachholtz chipped in 7 kills and 3 block assists, while Peyton Ostenson added 4 kills and 3 blocks.

• Defense & Service: Libero Kate Tollinger led the back row with 8 digs, while Taylor Dobrenz delivered 2 service aces to seal key runs.

• Key Stat: Mount Marty held FHU to a sub-.100 hitting percentage across all three sets (.091 or lower per set), out-blocking them 5.0 to 2.0 at the net.

Match 2: Spring Arbor 3, Mount Marty 1

(22-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-23)

Mount Marty struck first by claiming the opening frame, but Spring Arbor found its rhythm in sets two and three to hand the Lancers their first loss of the day.

• Set 1 Surge: Mount Marty took advantage of a slow-starting Spring Arbor attack (-.089 hitting percentage in Set 1) to earn a tight 25-22 victory.

• Top Performances: Caitlin Guenther once again paced the offense with 9 kills (10.0 points), while Jaya Wachholtz provided 7 kills. Grace Nesdahl contributed 5 kills on 16 total attacks with zero errors (.250 hitting pct).

• Back-Row Hustle: Kate Tollinger anchored the defense with a match-high 16 digs, followed closely by Taylor Dobrenz with 13 digs and 2 aces.

• Setting Distribution: Maycee Williams directed the offense with 12 assists, with Brianna Even adding 5.

Day 2 (Saturday)

Lancers Battle Through Back-to-Back 5-Set Thrillers

Mount Marty capped off opening weekend with a pair of grueling five-set marathons, bouncing back from a heartbreaking early loss to finish the tournament with a dramatic victory.

Match 3: Montana Tech 3, Mount Marty 2

(21-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-16, 15-6)

Mount Marty traded blows with Montana Tech through three tight sets to build a 2-1 match lead, but the Orediggers caught fire over the final two frames to pull away.

• Monster Attack Performance: Jaya Wachholtz put on a clinic, crushing a match-high 21 kills on a sizzling .333 hitting percentage to lead all scorers with 22.0 points.

• Double-Digit Scorers: Caitlin Guenther tallied 12 kills and 2 aces (15.5 points), while Adisyn Indahl racked up 11 kills and 12 digs for a double-double.

• Dual-Setter Engine: Maycee Williams dished out a team-high 24 assists, while Brianna Even orchestrated 19 assists and added 9 digs.

• Back-Row Standout: Libero Kate Tollinger reached double digits again, tallying 13 digs.

• Where It Turned: Montana Tech found its rhythm in the final two sets, hitting a scorching .455 in Set 4 and .625 in the deciding fifth set.

Match 4: Mount Marty 3, Rochester Christian 2

(25-23, 22-25, 12-25, 25-21, 15-13)

Mount Marty showed serious resolve in the finale, recovering from a tough Set 3 loss to force a fifth frame and edge out Rochester Christian in the clutch.

• Offensive Workhorse: Jaya Wachholtz once again powered the offense, hammering 16 kills on 52 total attacks alongside 7 digs.

• Net Presence & Depth: Caitlin Guenther reached double figures for the fourth straight match with 10 kills and 2 aces, while Lexi Eickhoff delivered an efficient 6 kills with 4 block assists (10.5 points).

• Defensive Resilience: Adisyn Indahl anchored the back line with a team-high 15 digs, supported by double-digit dig performances from Kate Tollinger (11) and Maycee Williams (14 digs, 21 assists).

• Clutch Finish: After falling behind 2-1 in sets, the Lancers tightened their defense, limiting Rochester Christian to a .026 hitting percentage in the deciding fifth set to seal the match 15-13.

Tournament Wrap-Up: Mount Marty leaves Bourbonnais with a 2-2 overall record, showing major durability by playing 17 total sets over two days.