Men’s Volleyball Split on Day Two of the Heart of America Challenge
St. Louis, Mo. – The Graceland University Men's Volleyball team continued at the 2024 Heart of America Challenge, taking on the St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees and the Calument of St. Joseph College Crimson Wave. Graceland split on the day, taking the 3-2 victory against the Fighting Bees and falling to the Crimson Wave 3-1. Moving to 2-2 on the season.
Game 1: Graceland (2-1) vs. St. Ambrose (1-2)
Set 1: Graceland 22 | St. Ambrose 25
The Yellowjackets would take the first lead with a 6-0 rally (6-2); the run would start from a Ryan Schneider (kill and block) and continue off the Sonny Tofi (two aces) service, a kill from Sam Johnson would contribute. The Fighting Bees would answer to even the score, 6-6. Both teams would trade points. St. Ambrose would push a six-point jump late to take the advantage (22-18). Graceland would close the gap to one point, a block my Malakai Christian would contribute. The Fighting Bees would snatch three of the remaining four points for the first set.
Set 2: Graceland 25 | St. Ambrose 20
Both teams would stay competitive, with both teams trading points. The Yellowjackets would reach ten points first: points from Thomas Weseloh (kill), Isaac Elliott (two kills), and Sam Johnson (kill). St. Ambrose would answer for an 8-1 run and take a four-point lead (15-11). Graceland would retaliate and retake the lead from a 7-1 rally; points from Weseloh (kill), Elliott (kill), Johnson (kill) and blocks from Hansen Salausa-Kaawa and Johnson. The Yellowjackets would stay on fire and take the remaining four points; Sonny Tofi would close the set with a kill from Aiden Martinez.
Set 3: Graceland 20 | I St. Ambrose 25
The Fighting Bees would come out of the gate hot to put the set at 8-2 early. Both teams would trade points. St. Ambrose would push a rally to lead by seven; blocks from Hansen Salausa-Kaawa and Sam Johnson would break their run. The Yellowjackets would close their deficit to five points from a 6-2 run (22-17). The Fighting Bees would hold their advantage for the third set.
Set 4: Graceland 25 | I St. Ambrose 18
Graceland would come from behind and push a four-point jump to lead by three (8-5) from the service of Sam Johnson and a kill by Thomas Weseloh. The Yellowjackets would have a 6-1 run after the Fighting Bees found back-to-back points; Weseloh (four kills) would start the run with a kill, Sean Malaki would add a kill and blocks by Hansen Salausa-Kaawa and Weseloh. Graceland would take the remaining seven points for the fourth set; Sonny Tofi would get the set point from a kill.
Set 5: Graceland 15 | I St. Ambrose 11
Both Teams would trade runs to lead. Graceland would take the advantage, with a late 6-1 lead to even and take the match. Kills from Sam Johnson, Malakai Christian, Sonny Tofi, and Aiden Martinez would earn an ace.
Graceland Leaders-
DIGS: Logan Book – 21
KILLS: Thomas Weseloh – 18
SERVICE ACES: Sam Johnson – 3
BLOCKS: Hansen Salausa-Kaawa – 5
St. Ambrose Leaders-
DIGS: Ethan Karban – 12
KILLS: Jon Guch / Nick Fox – 10
SERVICE ACES: Richard Reed IV – 2
BLOCKS: Charlie Flynn – 9
Game 2: Graceland (2-2) vs. Calument (2-2)
Set 1: Graceland 21 | Calument 25
Calument would take the lead early with a 5-0 run (5-1). A block by Malakai Christian and Isaac Elliott would halt their run. Thomas Weseloh and Sonny Tofi would add points from kills, closing the deficit to one point (5-4). The Crimson Wave would retaliate for a five-point jump (10-4). Both teams would trade points. Graceland would close the gap to one point; Tofi, Weseloh, and Malakai Christian would contribute. Calument would snatch the remaining six points for the first set.
Set 2: Graceland 21 | Calument 25
The Yellowjacket would start with a 6-3 lead early; Aiden Martinez (ace), Isaac Elliott (kill), and Thomas Weseloh (kill) would contribute. Both teams would trade points. The Crimson Wave would push a 7-2 rally to lead by four (18-14). Calument would hold their advantage to take the second set.
Set 3: Graceland 27 | Calument 25
Isaac Elliott would put points on the board first with a kill from Aiden Martinez. Calument would find a four-point jump to take the lead. Both teams would trade points; Graceland would have kills from Hansen Salausa-Kaawa (two kills) and Sam Johnson (two kills). The Crimson Wave would take a four-point lead (16-12); a kill by Isaac Elliott would pause the run. Graceland would close the gap to one from a kill by Malakai Christian and even the score from a Sonny Tofi kill. Ryan Schneider would end the set with a kill from Benedikt Zauner.
Set 4: Graceland 25 | Calument 27
Calument would lead early, and Graceland would work to close the gap to one and take the lead (17-16); Sam Johnson and Isaac Elliott would contrite with kills. The Crimson Wave would find the last two points to take the match.
Graceland Leaders-
DIGS: Logan Book – 9
KILLS: Sam Johnson – 12
SERVICE ACES: Axel Rasquero / Benedikt Zauner / Aiden Martinez – 1
BLOCKS: Malakai Christian – 5
Calument Leaders-
DIGS: Agustin Moreno / Brayden Richardson – 8
KILLS: Francis Hauze – 20
SERVICE ACES: Agustin Moreno – 3
BLOCKS: Gioele Iacono – 5
Up Next:
The Men's Volleyball team be back on Friday, February 9, when they travel to take on the University of Science and Pharmacy Eutectic. Match time is set for 7:00 pm.
-Yellowjackets-