McAFEE STACKS 22 KILLS IN WIN OVER BETHEL

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – With the match tied at two sets apiece, Olivet Nazarene University men's volleyball turned to its firepower and depth in the final frame, outlasting Bethel 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-12) in a back-and-forth battle Friday night inside McHie Arena. Behind a .433 team hitting percentage and a match-high 22 kills from Brody McAfee, the Tigers used late-set composure to clinch the fifth set and the match.

The two squads traded early points in the opening set, with neither side leading by more than two through the first 11 rallies. Jackson Harvey anchored the net early with back-to-back blocks, while McAfee added four kills in the frame. Will Byers and Kahaku Marquez combined for a pivotal block at 21-20 to break open the lead before Marquez followed with a kill. McAfee's seventh point of the set came on a kill from Byers, and a service ace from Marquez sealed the 25-22 win.

Bethel regrouped in the second set, finding success at the service line with two aces and pressuring ONU's serve receive. Despite efficient offense from Ooms and McAfee, the Tigers were unable to overcome a late-set push by the Pilots, who claimed the frame 25-22. The third set followed a similar pattern, with the Pilots hitting .519 and withstanding a few service aces and six kills from McAfee to take another 25-22 win.

ONU and matched points throughout the early stages of the fourth set, with neither side able to gain much separation. Back-to-back stuff plays—first with McAfee and Harvey, then with Harvey and Gonzalez, helped the Tigers flip an 8-8 tie into a 3-point cushion. The Tigers outscored the Pilots 10-4 down the stretch, holding Bethel to just .182 hitting in the frame. Ooms and McAfee paced ONU, combining for 10 kills in the set as the Tigers evened the match with a 25-19 win.

Down 5-1 in the final set, the Tigers mounted a comeback. McAfee's explosive swing out of the timeout sparked a 7-1 run, highlighted by a service ace from Byers, a kill from Harvey, and a pair of attack errors from Bethel. The Pilots threatened late, but McAfee delivered the match-winning point—his 22nd kill of the night—off a set from Gonzalez to cap the 15-12 finish.

In addition to McAfee's standout performance, Ooms added 16 kills on .500 hitting, while Johnston posted eight kills and two digs. Gonzalez and Byers combined for 54 assists, and Harvey totaled eight blocks. ONU held Bethel to a .294 hitting percentage, including just .188 in the opening set.

Looking Ahead

The Tigers return to McHie Arena on Mar. 25th, for a highly anticipated home conference matchup against No. 2 Saint Xavier University. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.

—ONU—

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