Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mustang men split volleyball openers

Mon - 21 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

DUBUQUE - The Mount Mercy men's volleyball team began the 2019 campaign Sunday by splitting two matches at the Loras College Triangular.

The Mustangs lost to Loras, 26-28, 25-17, 25-22, 26-24, in their first match in four sets. The Mustangs swept the Illinois Institute of Technology, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17, in their second outing.

Nikola Stoimenov had 12 kills for Mount Mercy against Loras. Julian Armendano collected 11 kills and eight digs. Andrew Colantone had 35 assists. Strahil Svilenski blocked four shots. Jamie Araiza had eight digs.

Stoimenov contributed 11 more kills against Illinois Tech. Ben Steffen had nine kills. Colontone amassed 31 assists and four blocks. Armendano had five digs and Svilenski had four blocks.

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No. 7 Benedictine trims Mustang men

Sun - 20 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

ATCHISON, Kan. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team gave seventh-ranked Benedictine a good battle Saturday before falling, 97-90, in a Heart of America Conference game.

The Mustangs took a 67-66 lead on a 3-pointer by Christian Reischauer with 11:22 remaining and trailed by only a single point, 77-76, with 8:30 left in the game.

Dennis McKinney scored 26 points for Mount Mercy (10-9, 5-8). DJ Johnson poured in a career-best 21 points with four 3-pointers off the bench. Antwain Strong had 13 points and five assists.

The Mustangs played again without Bailey Basala (ankle) and Mychael Brawner-Henley (suspension).

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Mount Mercy women fall to 1-13

Sun - 20 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

ATCHISON, Kan. - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team lost to Benedictine, 85-60, in a Heart of America Conference game Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs fell to 5-15 overall and 1-13 in the league.

Lakin Goodman led Mount Mercy with 15 points. Paris Sheck chipped in with 11 points. The Mustangs played without Brianna Thomas (suspension) and Sharice Kawakami (concussion protocol).

Skylar Washington hit five 3-pointers and scored 21 points off the bench for Benedictine (12-8, 7-7).

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Dennis McKinney (5) scored 20 points for Mount Mercy Wednesday night in an 88-80 victory over Clarke at the Hennessey Recreation Center. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Gritty Mustangs knock off Clarke

Thu - 17 Jan Written by Jim Ecker

If you thought the Mount Mercy Mustangs were going to surrender just because two of their best players are out of action, guess again.

There's no quit in these guys.

The Mustangs banded together and dug a little deeper into their bench Wednesday night and held off Clarke, 88-80, in a Heart of America Conference men's basketball game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Mohammed Albagami, who has stepped into the starting lineup the last three games, popped in four 3-pointers and notched 20 points to share team scoring honors with Dennis McKinney.

Antwain Strong almost collected a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Mike Evans contributed 11 points, five rebounds, five assists, four blocks and three steals. DJ Johnson, who was the ninth man in an eight-man rotation much of the season, played 23 minutes and scored 11 points.

"It's next man up," said Albagami, a senior from Battle Creek, Mich. "We're just trying to keep getting better."

Mychael Brawner-Henley (suspension) and Bailey Basala (sprained ankle) are expected back in the next week or two, and in the meantime the Mustangs are trying to keep it all together.

"Once we get everybody back to full strength, we feel like we can beat anybody," said Albagami. "We just have to keep it going."

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Audrey Mulumba of Mount Mercy runs into double trouble during Wednesday night's 64-56 loss to Clarke at the Hennessey Recreation Center. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Mount Mercy women fall short

Thu - 17 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

The Mount Mercy women's basketball team was red-hot at times Wednesday night and ice-cold at other times.

They turned cold at the wrong time in the fourth quarter and lost to Clarke, 64-56, in a Heart of America Conference game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Mount Mercy scored 22 points in the first quarter, then cooled off and scored only five points in the second period. The Mustangs got hot again in the third quarter and pumped in 25 points, but they got cold again in the fourth stanza with only four points.

It's unusual to see a team score 22, 5, 25 and 4 points in consecutive quarters, but it happened Wednesday night.

The Mustangs enjoyed an eight-point lead in the third quarter when they were pumping in 3-pointers, but the Mustangs did not score during the first five minutes of the fourth quarter and the game slipped away.

Chelsey Lampe and Sara Blowers scored nine points for Mount Mercy (5-14, 1-12). Makenna Haase scored 18 points for Clarke (12-6, 7-6).

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