ELGIN, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University men's volleyball closed out the Judson University Tournament with their second win of the season over Rockford University on Saturday. The Tigers went 2-2 in the event falling to Olivet College in straight sets earlier in the morning.

First Match: Olivet College 3, Olivet Nazarene 0

Collier Kahaku Marquez led the way for the Tigers scoring 11 points from 15 total attacks for a team-high hitting percentage of .400 and eight kills. James Ballance carried the majority of the attacking load with 24 total attacks while also registering a team-high eight digs.

Despite dropping the match in straight sets, ONU continued to keep sets close. After closing the deficit in the first set to 21-17, Olivet College went on a 6-1 run to take the early lead. The Tigers led the second set 21-17 before the Comets went on another set-ending 6-1 run. The match ended after the third set that mirrored the second. Olivet Nazarene led 20-17 but could not extend the contest as Olivet College ended the meeting with an 8-1 run.

Second Match: Olivet Nazarene 3, Rockford 1

The Tigers relinquished their lead in the first set to trail early in the match. ONU held the lead at 20-19 before RU strung together four straight points and went on the win it concluding on a 6-2 run.

Olivet responded in the second to tie up the match at one set apiece. The Regents capitalized on ONU errors to score five straight points. The purple and gold responded with a 7-2 run of their own to regain the lead at 13-11. Collier Kahaku Marquez and Jaiton Kamaunu attributed to three straight points midway through the set with two kills and a block. Both sides traded points and with the score locked up 24-24, a Bradyn Zula block and a kill from Kahaku Marquez leveled the match.

The Tigers built an eight-point lead over RU in the third set. Rockford chipped away at the deficit with a 5-2 run. ONU put a halt to the Regents' comeback as a block from Sterling Staranchuk attributed to a 4-1 run to give Olivet Nazarene their first lead in the match.

ONU ended the weekend with their second win of the season with a dominant fourth set. The Tigers went on four different 3-0 runs throughout the set. With the score tied 10-10, RU committed four attacking errors in a row to see a lead that would not be turned over. The match ended with Kamaunu, Staranchuk, and Jackson Harvey recording kills winning 25-19.

GAME VITALS

Match One: First Set: OC 25, ONU 18 | Second Set: OC 25, ONU 21 | Third Set: OC 25, ONU 21

Second Match: First Set: RU 25, ONU 23 | Second Set: ONU 26, RU 24 | Third Set: ONU 25, RU 16 | Fourth Set: ONU 25, ONU 19

Records: Olivet College 3-6 | Olivet Nazarene: 2-14 (CCAC 0-2) | Rockford University 2-8

Location: Lidner Fitness Center | Judson University | Elgin, Ill.

QUICK HITS

First Match

• Jaiton Kamaunu had a team-high .500 hitting percentage that attributed to 8.5 points and two service aces.
• Collier Kahaku Marquez registered a team-high 11.0 points.
• Santana Haliniak-DeSa and James Ballance combined for 15 digs.
• Five different ONU players recorded a block in the match.

Second Match

• Sterling Staranchuk had a season-high .538 and 12.0 points in the contest.
• Collier Kahaku Marquez led the team in points for the second consecutive match with 15.0.
• Hunter DeMello matched a season-high dishing out 23 assists.
• Braydn Zula set a season-high with 9 digs.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers return home to host Calumet on Tuesday. The match at McHie Arena is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Please visit onutigers.com for the latest live links.

--ONU—


*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, pkaindl@olivet.edu