DEFIANCE, Ohio — Olivet Nazarene University (6-11, 1-3) secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Defiance College (3-9, 2-6) on Friday night. The Tigers recorded a total of 38 kills with a .276 hitting percentage, while limiting Defiance to a .029 hitting percentage.

Olivet Nazarene dominated the first set with a decisive 25-16 victory, driven by an impressive offensive performance from Tomas Gonzalez, who provided multiple assists, including setting up 11 kills. The team capitalized on Defiance's errors, including five service errors and two attack errors, to build and maintain a significant lead. The Tigers' strategic serves included two aces, further contributing to the set's result.

The Tigers capitalized on Defiance's errors to secure a 25-18 win in the second set. Cameron Johnston led the attack with crucial kills, including a key play at 19-13 that was bolstered by a service ace. Gonzalez facilitated the offense with multiple assists, contributing to Olivet's scoring efficiency. Defiance struggled with service errors, committing several that shifted momentum in Olivet's favor.

Olivet Nazarene secured the third set with a decisive 25-19 victory, capitalizing on Defiance's errors and strong blocking. The team effectively utilized blocks by Joe Akeo and Gonzalez to force multiple attack errors from the opposing team, contributing to a run that opened up a 10-6 lead. Nic VanOort's service ace and a series of kills from Cade Ooms and Akeo further extended the advantage, sealing the set despite occasional service errors.

Ooms posted 10 kills on 24 attempts, contributing significantly to Olivet Nazarene's offensive efforts while also recording seven digs. Gonzalez orchestrated the offense with 30 assists across the match and added seven digs to his performance. Akeo demonstrated efficiency with a hitting percentage of .833, collecting five kills on six attempts, and contributed defensively with three block assists. VanOort made a versatile contribution, tallying eight kills with a .462 hitting percentage and leading the team with 10 digs.

--ONU--