OTTAWA, Kan. – (RV) Ottawa battled one of the NAIA's top teams toe-to-toe Tuesday night inside the Mabee Center, taking a set and pushing multiple frames late, but unbeaten (3) Park University pulled away for a 3-1 victory (25-21, 25-20, 23-25, 25-19).
Match Recap
Ottawa came out aggressive in the opening set, trading points early behind kills from
Marko Zolnjan and
Petar Lazic. The Braves built a mid-set lead at 16-15 after a block from
Andrew Ely and Lazic, but Park closed on a late surge to take the set 25-21.
Set two saw Park jump ahead early, capitalizing on service pressure and a high-powered offense. Ottawa trimmed the deficit to 14-12 following a
Kadeem Morris ace and multiple Zolnjan kills but couldn't fully recover as Park claimed the 25-20 win.
The Braves flipped the momentum in set three with their best performance of the night. Ottawa hit an impressive .526 in the frame, using a 7-0 run fueled by Zolnjan's serving and strong blocking at the net. Clutch kills from Lazic and
Macort Pickup sealed a 25-23 win to extend the match.
In the fourth, Ottawa stayed within striking distance early, tying the set at 10-10 after a Pickup kill. However, Park responded with a decisive run and maintained control down the stretch. Despite late points from Lazic and Morris, the Braves fell 25-19.
Stats Recap
Team Notes:
- Ottawa recorded 11 total team blocks compared to Park's five.
- Braves' best set came in the third (.526 hitting percentage)
- Park was led by Adrian Figueroa (27 kills) and hit .362 as a team
Who is Next
Ottawa (15-7, 8-5) returns to the court on Saturday, March 21 in Lamoni, Iowa against Graceland University. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
