ONU LEAVES DAVENPORT WITH A 3-1 VICTORY AGAISNT SAU

DAVENPORT, Iowa. – The Olivet Nazarene University men's volleyball program improved to 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) after downing St. Ambrose 3-1 Thursday night. The conference leaders in kills averaged 11 kills per set with Cade Ooms and Thorlaf Schmelzer tallying 11 each.

ONU claimed the first two sets of the night. The Tigers held the opposition to 18 points and under in each set. A block by Kahaku Marquez and Tomas Gonzales sparked a 7-1 run to end the first set 25-16. Olivet benefitted from another 7-1 set in the second set en route to a 25-18 win. Gonzales set up Jake Ostema for the set-point kill and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Fighting Bees extended the match to a fourth set after a 25-22 win in the Third. With the score tied 20-20, SAU streaked for a 5-2 run benefiting from consecutive Olivet errors.

ONU came out on top in the final set of the night with Ostema scoring back-to-back points late. The graduate senior recorded his fourth kill of the night followed by a solo block on the next rally increasing their advantage 23-19. The night concluded as a match point was scored via a St. Ambrose service error.

The Tigers outhit the Fighting Bees with 44 total kills to the home team's 34. Ooms and Schmelzer contributed to half the team's total while Marquez tacked on nine and Jaiton Kamaunu registered seven. Schmelzer now has double-digit kills in three consecutive matches.

The visitors got the job done on the defensive end as Olivet held the edge in digs 42-37.  Schmelzer and James Ballance both finished with 10. Schmelzers dig total set a new season high.

Gonzales led the Purple and Yellow-Gold for the eighth consecutive match with 35 assists. The freshman setter stacked the box score with a kill, a service ace, eight digs, and two blocks.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Tigers will welcome Calumet this Saturday, March 4, to McHie Arena. The match is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start. Please visit ONUTigers.com for all the links to follow along.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant; email pkaindl@olivet.edu