Tag: Mount Union Men’s Volleyball

From Precision to Power: Mount Union Men’s Volleyball’s Young Core Powers Past Hiram 3-1

The Purple Raiders’ Offense found rhythm despite Michael Bowler being inactive.

Alliance, OH- Whenever a team graduates all but two of its starters, a down year would be expected. However, Mount Union Men’s Volleyball continues to bring the same punch from a season ago. That was evident in the Purple Raiders’ 3-1 win over Hiram, which improved their season record to 5-3.

Freshman Luke Pemberton was the star of the show for Mount Union heading into the match, as he was fresh off a 37-kill weekend. The former Jackson Polar Bear once again headlined the offense with a game-high 10 kills. Still, he admitted the difference between the high school and collegiate game, stating,

“It’s been a big adjustment going to college, but it’s been a lot easier now that my teammates are here.”

His importance was further illustrated in the 3rd set as he didn’t see the floor as the Purple Raiders dropped their only set of the night, 25-20.

Looking inward, the 2025 MCVL Offensive Player of the Year, Michael Bowler, was inactive. Thus, sophomores Carson Jeffers and Justin Dickson stepped in to fill the void at middle hitter. The pair combined for 12 kills while Jeffers added three serving aces and Dickson added two blocks.

“Those two guys are working hard at practice and doing the work,” remarked Mount Union head coach Matt Mihelic, “they’re learning and growing as players.”

In the first set, the Purple Raiders got out to a 5-1 lead with Pemberton getting 30% of his kills on the first three serves. The Terriers battled back within one on numerous occasions, but couldn’t find a decisive blow. A kill from Sam Morrison forced the hand of 1st-year Hiram head coach Kyle Martini, a former player and award-winner for the Terriers, as he used his first timeout down 18-15.

Martini had to use his other timeout, down 22-18, later in the set. In the end, the combination of Ryan Lippert serving, Justin Peters assisting, and Pemberton killing was too much to overcome as Mount Union noched a 25-19 set one victory.

With the likes of Aaron Armour, Jack McClure, and Will Heeney graduating out of the program, replacing them was never going to be easy. However, Peters’ 31 assists against Hiram put him at 254 on the season. Last season, Heeney averaged 8.83 assists/set. Currently, Peters is at 8.76 assists/set. Peters attributes this success to his connection with the hitters, as he said,

“I’m working on the connection with my hitters more and more every game and practice.”

Mount Union kept its foot on the gas to start the second set, taking 13 out of the opening 16 points to go up by 10. In the end, the Purple Raiders would win the set 25-14, the largest margin of victory UMU has had in a set against the Terriers since March 15, 2023. Just like this matchup, the 25-14 set was the second of the match three years ago.

One of the main reasons why it happened again was the ace discrepancy. Overall, Mount Union out-aced Hiram 13-2. Morrison had a tied team-high three aces. He credits the Purple Raiders’ assistant coach, Jeff McDivitt, for his serving success, saying,

“He [McDivitt] is the knowledge behind my swings back at the service line.”

After a rocky third set, Mount Union came out swinging in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead from the jump. This led to a 25-17 victory and a 3-1 win overall against the Terriers. This was UMU’s third win in-a-row this season and against Hiram.

Up next for Mount Union (5-3) are four tough matchups against North Park, #15 Aurora, Concordia University Chicago, and ‘RV’1 Dominican University, all in Illinois. With the Purple Raiders’ falling out of the ‘Receiving Votes’ section of the AVCA Poll, these games provide a path back towards the top 20.

As for Hiram (2-3), they look to regroup against Hilbert College, a team they have already defeated in straight sets this season, on February 7th at home.

Leading the way offensively for the Terriers was Derek Chiang, who had 10 kills. Cullen Sivak and Gavin Stewart followed with eight and six, respectively. Liam Dwyer, who won PAC Newcomer of the Week, had a game-high four blocks. This tally was enough to double the Purple Raiders’ total output. Kekoa Tani facilitated the offense with 31 assists.

Both teams have entered a new era. For the Purple Raiders, it’s a youth revival that packs a punch. As for the Terrirs, it’s a program legend returning home to guide his Alma Mater. As of February 3rd, it’s advantage Mount Union.

  1. ‘RV’ is the typical shorthand for ‘Receiving Votes.’ ↩︎

Mount Union MVB Wins the 2025 MCVL Regular Season Crown

Alliance, OH- For the first time since the 2023 season, Mount Union has won the MCVL regular season title. Today, they took down rivals Baldwin Wallace 3-2 on the road to ensure a solo title.

The last time the Purple Raiders won the conference, they went 7-1 with their loss coming against #3 Wittenberg. Before the season began, the Purple Raiders were slated to finish third in the conference behind the Tigers and the Yellow Jackets.

In the regular season finale, Mount Union got out to an early 7-0 lead in set 1. BW fought back as much as they could, getting as close as 2 points. Still, it was UMU taking home the opening frame 25-19. The Purple Raiders kept cruising in the second set, establishing a cushion from the jump. In the end, Mount Union left set 2 with a 25-20 victory.

Baldwin Wallace started their comeback in the third frame. With a 20-16 lead in the third, the game looked destined to head to a fourth set. However, a 7-1 run from the Purple Raiders saw them lead 23-21. With their backs against the wall, the Yellow Jackets rallied off 4 points in a row to win the third set 25-23. BW turned around after the third to control the fourth set, winning 25-20. Unlike the third set, Baldwin Wallace controlled the tempo.

Heading into the final set, momentum was with the Yellow Jackets. Still, Mount Union got to work and battled. A 3-0 run from the Purple Raiders set UMU up to succeed. In the middle of the fifth, a 6-0 run put the dagger in BW’s valiant comeback. Jacob Nussdorfer’s 10th and final kill sealed the 15-7 win in set 5.

Looking at the stat sheet, it was the senior duo of Jack McClure and Will Heeney who led the charge. McClure posted 19 kills while Heeney recorded 41 assists. As for digs, it was a balanced effort. Peyton Koszelak had 10 digs while Aaron Armour and Beckham Heller had 9.

For the Yellow Jackets, Daniel Latham led the way with a game-high 22 kills. Evan Herbst ran the BW offense with a total of 38 assists. In the back line, it was Daniel Abercrombie who ran the show with 13 digs.

The stage is now set for the MCVL Tournament. Mount Union will host as the #1 seed. Wittenberg will be the #2 seed with Baldwin Wallace sitting as the #3 seed. Finally, Trine makes the tournament as the 4th and final seed. On Friday, April 11, the Purple Raiders will play the Thunder while the Yellow Jackets look for redemption against the Tigers. The championship game will be played the following afternoon. While the times are not confirmed, the games are rumored to be played at 4PM and 7PM on Friday and 4PM on Saturday.

Picture Credit: Payton Berkley (PB30photos on Instagram)