Mid-America Christian University

OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Volleyball team showed tremendous effort to fight back from 2-0 sets down but were unable to complete the comeback as the Evangels fell in a hard-fought four setter to Science & Arts on Tuesday evening inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
 
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 1, Science & Arts 3 (21-25, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25)
  • Mid-America Christian: (9-8, 5-6 SAC)
  • Science & Arts (Okla.): (13-6, 7-4 SAC)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Marcela Nalin: 13 Kills, .070 ATK%, 2 Blocks, 2 Digs
• Madi Trayler: 12 Kills, .308 ATK%, Block, Dig
• Mia Benson: 10 Kills, .091 ATK%, 4 Aces, 2 Blocks
• Seyi Atolagbe: 10 Kills, .318 ATK%, 3 Blocks, 3 Digs
• Jasmine Liongco: 29 Assists, 7 Digs, Ace  
• Gracelyn Skaggs: 24 Digs, 5 Assists, 3 Aces

MATCH SUMMARY

• Set One
  • Science & Arts jumped out to an early 6-3 lead in the early as the Evangel offense continued to come from Seyi Atolagbe in the early stages. MACU knotted it up 6-6 a few rallies later. Mia Benson joined the attacking threat, and Madison Lee recorded a service ace.
  • The opening set stayed level until the Drovers won six of seven points to open up an 18-12 advantage. Out of the MACU timeout, Madi Trayler put the Evangels back on the board. However, it wasn't enough to slow down the USAO offense as the lead stretched to 22-14.
  • Mid-America Christian wasn't done yet as the Evangels won seven of the next eight rallies to pull within two at 23-21. Marcela Nalin and Atolagbe recorded a pair of kills during the run. Out of the USAO timeout, the Drovers closed out the opening set by winning the final two points for a 25-21 opening set.
• Set Two
  • Both teams played competitive rallies to start the second set until the Evangels went on a run going into the media timeout. MACU won four straight points down 8-9 as Mia Benson had consecutive service aces before a huge block between Atolagbe and Trayler. Seyi Atolagbe's kill gave the Evangels a 15-12 lead at the halfway point.
  • Out of the timeout, USAO controlled all the momentum and exploded to a 19-16 advantage. The Evangels called timeout and worked back into the set as once again the pair of Atolagbe and Trayler lead the attacking threats to trail just two at 22-20.
  • Once again, USAO had the clutch hitting down the stretch to claim the second set 25-22, denying a late Evangel run.
• Set Three
  • MACU started the set well again with a 4-0 lead capped off by Mia Benson's kill. The Evangels lead grew to 8-3 with consecutive attacking errors from USAO. However, the Drovers continued to excel out of timeouts to pull within one at 10-9.
  • Mia Benson continued her excellent third set with a big-time hammer to put MACU up 17-16. After the Drovers recorded their sixth block of the third set, Benson wouldn't be denied again to pull the Evangels back up 19-17.
  • Madi Trayler reached double digit kills with consecutive terminations to set up match point where Seyi Atolagbe and Morgan Cross set up the big-time block on set point to put MACU on the board with a 25-21 set three win.
• Set Four
  • After a quick 3-1 start for MACU highlighted by Benson's offense, USAO stormed back in full control of the fourth set and led 13-6 after seven consecutive points. Mia Benson continued her impressive night with a kill and ace out of the timeout.
  • The Drovers held onto a double-digit advantage late into the set at 21-11 until an Evangel rampage ensued. MACU scored eight straight points as Gracelyn Skaggs put on a serving clinic with three aces during the stretch. Marcela Nalin punched home two points as the Evangels trailed just two at 21-19.
  • However, the comeback dream was short lived as the Drovers put the final touches on the closing set to take it 25-20.

MATCH NOTES

• MACU outhit USAO by a 51-44 kill margin on a slightly less efficient .123 ATK% to the Drovers .197 ATK%. However, the difference came on the defensive end as Science & Arts put up 15 team blocks to the Evangels five.
• The Evangels had four hitters finish with double-digit kills as Marcela Nalin led the way with 13 kills. Madi Trayler added 12 on an efficient .308 ATK%. While Mia Benson and Seyi Atolagbe both had 10 terminations.
• Jasmine Liongco led distribution efforts with 29 assists, while adding seven digs on the defensive end.  
• The reigning Sooner Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, Gracelyn Skaggs, led the Evangels defensively once again with 24 digs. However, she also contributed offensively with five assists and a team-high three service aces.
• MACU fell to 5-6 in Sooner Athletic Conference play as the Evangels currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot at the halfway point in the conference regular season.  
• Mid-America Christian still hold a dominant 21-2 all-time record against Science & Arts, as this was the first time the Evangels were defeated by the Drovers inside the Gaulke Activity Center.   

 
UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian stays at home this weekend as the Evangels have two big tests against the Sooner Athletic Conference's best, starting first with Texas Wesleyan on Friday night for a 6 P.M. first serve. MACU will host Nelson Saturday afternoon starting at 1 P.M. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.