VANGUARD SWEEPS ONU TO END WEST COAST ROAD TRIP

COASTA MESA, Calif. – ONU men's volleyball wrapped up its California trip with a 3-0 (23-25, 12-25, 21-25) loss to Vanguard on Wednesday night. The Tigers battled in a competitive opening set before the Lions took control in the second and held off a late push in the third. Brody McAfee led ONU with 10 kills while Cade Ooms and Kahaku Marquez chipped in four and three, respectively. Tomas Gonzalez paced the offense with 11 assists, and Will Byers added six.

ONU came out strong in the opening set, keeping pace with Vanguard in a back-and-forth battle that saw eight ties and multiple lead changes. The Tigers used a 4-0 run to go up 21-18, but the Lions answered with a surge of their own, closing on a 7-2 run to take the set, 25-23. McAfee registered four kills in the frame, while Jaiton Kamaunu added three.

Vanguard took control early in the second set, capitalizing on ONU errors and putting together multiple scoring runs. The Tigers struggled to find offensive rhythm, hitting -.087 in the frame while the Lions were efficient with a .579 attack percentage. Vanguard stretched its lead to double digits and never looked back, taking the set, 25-12.

ONU responded with more fight in the third set, staying within striking distance for much of the frame. Byers provided a spark off the bench with a kill and two block assists, while McAfee continued to lead the attack. The Tigers trailed by just one late, but Vanguard delivered a strong finish to claim the set, 25-21, and secure the sweep.

Looking Ahead

ONU returns home for conference play on Mar. 11th, hosting Calumet College of St. Joseph at 7 p.m. CST.

—ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu