ALLIANCE, Ohio - The third-seeded Baldwin Wallace University men's volleyball team was defeated by top-seeded University of Mount Union in a five-set thriller in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League Tournament Championship game by a final score of 3-2 in Timken Gymnasium inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.
BW (19-11) concludes its record-breaking season just a few points short in the nail-biting fifth set of the program's second-ever appearance in the MCVL championship game. The Jackets came out swinging to take the first set against Mount Union (20-8), but even after dropping the next two, BW dominated the fourth to force the fifth and final set. The Brown and Gold led 10-8 late in the set but the Purple Raiders were able to go on a 7-2 run to clinch the conference crown and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. BW finishes a season highlighted by dominating league opponents, taking down ranked opponents, and even earning a national ranking as high as No. 12. Mount Union awaits their opponent in the NCAA Tournament announced on Monday, April 14 at 10 a.m.
BW Leaders
- The conference tournaments continues to run through senior All-MCVL outside hitter Ted Hofmeister (Powell/Saint Charles) and sophomore All-MCVL outside hitter Daniel Latham (Westerville/Westerville Central) as they collectively had 46 kills: 25 and 21, respectively
- Junior All-MCVL middle hitter Colby Whiteside (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) set a new career-high on the biggest stage with 10 total blocks
- Freshman libero David Abercrombie (Maricopa, Ariz.) tallied 13 digs in his first MCVL championship game
- After notching a career-high 46 assists in last night's conference semifinals, senior Academic All-MCVL setter Evan Herbst (Hamburg, N.Y.) outdoes himself again with 49 assists along with tying a team-high 13 digs and two aces
- Senior All-MCVL outside hitter and future BW Hall of Famer Michael Beard (Hilliard/Darby) finished with eight kills and eight digs in his final game for the Brown and Gold
- Hofmeister also added seven digs, six assists, and three blocks
- Latham also contributed six digs and four blocks
Mount Union Leaders
- Senior outside hitter Jack McClure recorded a team-high 19 kills
- Senior setter Will Heeney assisted 42 times for the Purple Raiders
- Sophomore libero and MCVL Defensive Player of the Year Peyton Koszelak led all players with 17 digs
First Set (BW 25-23)
- Both teams had 11 kills
- Yellow Jackets hit .207
- Purple Raiders hit .200
Second Set (UMU 25-22)
- Mount Union led in kills 14-12
- Yellow Jackets hit .125
- Purple Raiders hit .206
Third Set (UMU 25-23)
- BWled in kills 13-12
- Yellow Jackets hit .250
- Purple Raiders hit .206
Fourth Set (BW 25-19)
- BW led in kills 17-12
- Yellow Jackets hit .438
- Purple Raiders hit .267
Fifth Set (UMU 15-12)
- BW led in kills 8-6
- Yellow Jackets hit .095
- Purple Raiders hit .250
