Mount Vernon Nazarene outlasts Goshen in five-set match at Ariel Arena
| Set1 | Set2 | Set3 | Set4 | Set5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOS | 20 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 18 | 2 |
| MOU | 25 | 18 | 26 | 20 | 20 | 3 |
Mount Vernon Nazarene edged Goshen 3-2 on Tuesday night at Ariel Arena, slipping past the Maple Leafs in a back-and-forth match decided by the narrowest of margins. The Cougars won 25-20, 18-25, 26-24, 20-25, 20-18 in Mount Vernon, Ohio, taking the first, third and fifth sets to close out the marathon contest.
Goshen answered every push for most of the evening. After dropping the opening set, the Maple Leafs responded with a strong second set and leveled the match at 1-1 when Bruno Barac finished the frame with a kill in a 25-18 win. The third set became the turning point of the night, with both sides trading points deep into extra rallies before Mount Vernon Nazarene claimed a 26-24 decision on a kill by Jackson Bush for a 2-1 lead.
The Maple Leafs refused to let the match end in four. Goshen took the fourth set 25-20 to force a fifth, with the final point coming on a Jackson Bush attack error. That sent the match into a decisive set that matched the rest of the night for tension. Goshen pushed the hosts to the limit again, but Mount Vernon Nazarene closed the match at 20-18 when Christian Kyer delivered the final kill.
Ben Koop led Goshen offensively with 17 kills on 41 attempts and added 12 digs for a double-double. Ryan Kabrich gave the Maple Leafs another efficient option, finishing with 13 kills on a .429 hitting percentage, along with four blocks and 16.0 points. Setter Nash Hubick directed the attack with 56 assists, one ace and seven digs as Goshen piled up 70 kills and hit .253 as a team.
Goshen held advantages in several key statistical categories, including kills (70-62), assists (67-60) and digs (65-56), while also matching the intensity at the net with 9.0 team blocks. Mount Vernon Nazarene countered with 11.0 total blocks and made enough plays late in key sets to survive. Tommy Tierney paced the Cougars with 14 kills, 11 digs, four blocks and one ace.
In front of 178 spectators, the Maple Leafs showed resilience by extending the match twice after falling behind, first after the opening set and again after the third. The difference came in the closing rallies, where Mount Vernon Nazarene claimed the final point of the first set, the final swing of the third, and the last kill of the match in the fifth-set 20-18 finish.
