St. Louis - The Maryville men's volleyball team rolled to its second straight win with a 3-0 triumph versus Olivet Nazarene Saturday. The first Saints sweep was accomplished 25-16, 25-20, 25-22. Mason Mortimer hammered in 12 kills while hitting .429. Tate Sandvig and Luke Van Handel both finished with nine kills apiece, and Jacob Fischer walled up for seven blocks.
 
What Happened
In set one, the Saints took the early 6-2 lead on a 4-0 burst. The Wildcats closed to 9-7 but another 4-0 run built a 13-7 advantage. Maryville went on a 5-1 run and closed the set by scoring the last three points for a 25-16 win. The Saints hit .346 in the opener while limiting ONU to a -.036 hitting percentage.
 
Olivet Nazarene slowly built a 13-8 lead before the Saints rallied. At 14-10, ONU had a service error and Fischer followed with a kill and a solo block. Van Handel recorded a kill before Van Handel and Fischer had a block to give the Saints a 15-14 lead. The score was tied at 19-19 until a Sandvig kill gave Maryville a 20-19 lead it would not surrender. Up 21-20, the Saints scored four straight points to take a 2-0 lead in sets.
 
Maryville tallied four of the first five points to begin set three. ONU slowly climbed back into the match and would take a 14-11 lead. Still trailing 17-15, the Saints scored three straight to inch ahead 18-17 on a Van Handel kill. Deadlocked at 19-all, Cole Torrence and Josh Zhuchenko teamed up on a block to push the Saints up by one. Fischer and Sandvig followed with a block, and a 21-19 edge. Maryville's blocking continued at 23-20 on another Sandvig and Fischer combo block. Van Handel put away a ball to end the match 25-22.
 
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Mason Mortimer - 12
Hitting Percentage: Mason Mortimer - .429
Assists: Cameron Chambers - 20
Service Aces: Cameron Chambers and Mason Mortimer - 1
Digs: Cameron Chambers and Tate Sandvig - 7
Blocks: Jacob Fischer - 7
 
Records
Maryville: 2-3
Olivet Nazarene: 0-8
 
What's Next?
The Saints return to the road to Frankfort, Ky., as they play Kentucky State and Judson Friday, Jan. 28.