OTTAWA, Kan. - At the friendly confines of the Mabee Center, the Ottawa University men's volleyball team dug deep and defended home court Saturday afternoon, rallying past (14) Mount Mercy University in a gritty five-set battle, 25-19, 25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 15-9.

Set-by-Set Recap
Set 1 – Ottawa 25, Mount Mercy 19
Ottawa flipped an early deficit into control behind a strong serving run from Marko Zolnjan, who delivered an ace and helped key a 6-1 surge midway through the set. The Braves closed on a 7-2 stretch, capitalizing on Mustang attack errors and balanced offense to claim the opener.

Set 2 – Ottawa 25, Mount Mercy 23
The second was a heavyweight exchange with 12 ties. Mount Mercy led 22-20 late, but Ottawa responded. Back-to-back Mustang attack errors and a clutch finish by Petar Lazic sealed the two-point win. The Braves hit .256 in the frame and made the winning plays in crunch time.

Set 3 – Mount Mercy 25, Ottawa 19
The Mustangs stormed out to a 9-5 lead and never trailed. Ottawa struggled to find rhythm offensively despite hitting .310 as a team, and Mount Mercy used two service aces and consistent side-out efficiency to extend the match.

Set 4 – Mount Mercy 25, Ottawa 19
Mount Mercy carried momentum into the fourth, building a 9-5 advantage and maintaining separation throughout. Ottawa's offense dipped to .038 hitting in the set, as the Mustangs forced errors and controlled the net to even the match at two sets apiece.

Set 5 – Ottawa 15, Mount Mercy 9
After trailing 3-1 early, Ottawa rattled off an 8-2 run fueled by Kadeem Morris at the service line. A late kill from Lazic finished it, and the Braves celebrated a statement five-set victory on their home floor. Match Leaders (Ottawa)

• Petar Lazic: 20 kills, .311 hitting, 1 ace, 1 block – 22.5 pts
• Marko Zolnjan: 14 kills, 2 aces, 12 digs
• Macort Pickup: 9 kills, 4 block assists
• Kadeem Morris: 8 kills, 1 ace, 3 block assists
• Quentin Le Dortz: 48 assists, 7 digs

By the Numbers

• Ottawa hit .261 as a team (56-19-142)
• Braves totaled 12 team blocks
• Ottawa limited Mount Mercy to .118 hitting in Set 5
• Braves recorded 4 service aces and forced key late errors
• 2-hour, 2-minute match featuring five sets and multiple momentum swings

Who is Next
Ottawa (9-3, 5-1) is back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 14 in Marshall, Mo. against (4) Missouri Valley College. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.