The Weekly Serve: February 8th - 14th

It’s week four of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball season, and we have seen some high-quality volleyball among the conferences. The road to Cedar Rapids starts now.

Alex Sanchez of RV Reinhardt has been named the NAIA Volley Report Defender of the Week after continuing to anchor the Eagles during their eight-match win streak. Most recently, Reinhardt secured a statement victory over No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.), with Sanchez once again setting the tone defensively. He has also broken the NAIA all-time career digs record and now sits at 1,266 digs as Reinhardt moves into the heart of conference play.

Ben Cemeno-Castillo of No. 6 William Penn delivered a dominant weekend on the offensive end, powering the Statesmen past No. 13 Morningside with 24 kills on .479 hitting while adding 13 digs for a double-double. He followed that performance with 17 kills on .389, five digs, and three blocks in a road victory at Dordt (Iowa), helping William Penn continue its strong run in the competitive Heart.

Alonzo Vega of No. 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) has been named NAIA Volley Report Setter of the Week for the third time this season. Vega guided the Tigers to their fifth straight victory, highlighted by wins over No. 10 Bethel (Ind.) and RV Governors State, continuing to orchestrate one of the top offenses in the country.

No. 4 Park (Mo.) is your NAIA Volley Report Team of the Week. The Pirates sit at 11-0 on the season, stacking ranked wins and Division II victories while continuing to build momentum early in the year. This past week, Park went on the road and defeated Missouri Valley in four sets (3-1) in Marshall. The Pirates now return home for a four-match homestand, hosting Ottawa (Kan.), Mount Mercy, Clarke (Iowa), and Kansas Wesleyan as they look to keep their unblemished record.

Upsets of the Week

• Dordt def. No. 13 Grand View (Iowa)

  • Dordt Recap

• Brescia (Ky.) def. No. 10 Bethel (IN)

  • Brescia Recap

• RV Reinhardt (Ga.) def. No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.)

  • Reinhardt Recap

    
    

Under-the-Radar Wins

• No. 14 Morningside def. No. 13 Grand View (Iowa)

• Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) def. RV Cornerstone (MI)

Sideline Scoop

“Where we sit right now is only the beginning. Even though I am super proud of all the accomplishments we’ve had so far, I know we cannot settle. Complacency is not what we’re built for. This team and our players deserve the recognition that they are getting but I remind them every day that if you focus on being the best version on yourself for the team, the individual accomplishments are extra. I am proud of Natan for leading the country right now in kills, but I challenge him every day to lead the team in his work ethic and leadership. I’m proud of our 13-2 start, but I challenge the team every day to take our losses and learn from them. All in all, I know that if we give 110% in everything we do on a day-to-day basis, the accomplishments we have are to be expected and not a surprise. “ — Head Coach Marasco-Ayau, Morningside Mustangs

Winning Streak Watch

No. 1 The Master’s Mustangs extend their streak to 31 straight victories. The Mustangs have continued its streak with two more massive wins of Concordia University Irvine.

Up next: They will play Vanguard University back to back as they will travel to Costa Mesa, Calif on Feb. 20th and then will host the Lions at The McArthur Center the following day.

Milestone Moment

• Alex Sanchez of RV Reinhardt (Ga.) breaks NAIA record for All-Time Career Digs.

• Pacific Union (Calif.) sets a historic mark as they notch the most wins in history under coach Bambi Ramirez.

Players. Upsets. Breakouts. That’s your weekend in NAIA volleyball. Stay tuned — we’ll be back next Sunday with more highlights and surprises!