Graceland Sweeps Central Christian in First Win of the Season

MCPHERSON, Kan. — The Graceland University men's volleyball team secured its first victory of the 2025 season, sweeping Central Christian College 3-0 (25-10, 25-16, 25-20) on Tuesday afternoon at Jerry E. Alexander Arena. With the win, the Yellowjackets improved to 1-5 overall (0-0 Heart of America Athletic Conference), while Central Christian fell to 0-5 overall (0-0 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference).

Match Recap

Graceland came out dominant in the opening set, establishing an early lead with efficient attacking and aggressive serving. The Yellowjackets hit .444 in the first set, led by Andrew Youssef (11 kills, .364 hitting percentage) and Elijah Kline (8 kills, .235 hitting percentage). Setter Luis Garcia orchestrated the offense with 27 assists, while also contributing nine digs on defense.

The second set saw Central Christian push back, but Graceland maintained control with strong net play. Kalanikapu Aona was highly efficient, finishing with five kills on seven attempts (.571 hitting percentage), while Garcia continued to distribute effectively. The Yellowjackets closed the set at 25-16.

In the third set, Central Christian attempted to mount a comeback, but Graceland capitalized on service pressure and transition offense to close the match 25-20. Andrew Cziep contributed seven kills and two service aces, while Blake Hauschild added two kills on five attempts (.400 hitting percentage).

Graceland's defense was also key in the win, recording 38 total digs and forcing Central Christian to hit -.101 for the match. The Yellowjackets' serve pressure was a major factor, as they totaled seven aces, including two each from Cziep and Youssef.

Head coach Eric Majors was pleased with his team's execution and discipline.

"I am very happy with our effort and focus on the game plan. Luis continues to make big strides in understanding the position, and our attackers finished the job," Majors said.

Stat Leaders

• Kills: Andrew Youssef – 11, Elijah Kline – 8, Andrew Cziep – 7
• Hitting Percentage: Kalanikapu Aona – .571, Blake Hauschild – .400, Luis Garcia – .500
• Assists: Luis Garcia – 27
• Digs: AJ Rasquero – 11, Luis Garcia – 9, Andrew Cziep – 6
• Service Aces: Andrew Youssef – 2, Andrew Cziep – 2, Elijah Kline – 2

Up Next

The Yellowjackets will face Central Christian once again, this time in Lamoni on Friday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Morden Center.

For more information on Graceland men's volleyball and all Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.