Metro Sports Report

Lauren Stopko has shattered the career record for digs for the Mount Mercy volleyball team with 2,463 in four years. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Can you dig it? Lauren Stopko can

Wed - 24 Oct Written by Jim Ecker

Lauren Stopko has shattered the school record for digs for the Mount Mercy University volleyball team with a whopping 2,463 for her remarkable four-year career.

She's also among the career leaders for the Mustangs in bright smiles, energy and leadership.

"Lauren is an outstanding kid," Mount Mercy Coach Deb Marlin said Tuesday night. "She's a hard worker in the gym and she has extremely high expectations for herself.

"I think the girls look up to her."

Stopko, from Clear Creek Amana High School, stepped right into the lineup as a freshman at Mount Mercy in 2015 and has never slowed down. She collected 777 digs as a freshman and has 688 this year with a few weeks left in the regular season.

Stopko had 23 digs Tuesday night as Mount Mercy swept Briar Cliff, 25-20, 27-25, 25-20, in a non-conference match at the Hennessey Recreation Center. She notched her 23rd and final dig on set point as the Mustangs raised their record to 18-12.

Stopko, the libero at Mount Mercy, will probably finish her college career with more than 2,500 digs.

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No. 9 Eagles drop 5-set match

Wed - 24 Oct Written by Metro Sports Report

NORFOLK, Neb. - The Kirkwood women's volleyball team lost to Northeast Community College in five sets Tuesday night, 17-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-14, 15-13, in an ICCAC conference match on the road.

The ninth-ranked Eagles enjoyed a 2-1 lead after three sets, but the Eagles were not able to finish the job in the final match of the regular season.

Kirkwood fell to 29-8 overall and 5-4 in the conference. The Eagles will be the No. 5 seed for the regional tournament this Saturday and Sunday.

Northeast raised its records to 17-13 overall and 8-1 in the league.

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No. 7 Missouri Valley tops Mustangs

Wed - 24 Oct Written by Metro Sports Report

MARSHALL, Mo. - The Mount Mercy men's soccer team gave seventh-ranked Missouri Valley a tough match Tuesday night before falling, 3-1, in a Heart of America Conference contest in Marshall.

Duarte Leite pulled the Mustangs within 2-1 with a goal in the 72nd minute, but Missouri Valley countered in the 80th minute to keep Mount Mercy at bay.

The loss dropped Mount Mercy to 6-7-3 overall and 2-7-1 in the conference.

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Mustangs kicked by Missouri Valley

Wed - 24 Oct Written by Metro Sports Report

MARSHALL, Mo. - Missouri Valley scored five unanswered goals Tuesday night and defeated Mount Mercy, 6-1, in a Heart of America Conference women's soccer match in Missouri.

Andrea Lopez scored for Mount Mercy on a penalty kick in the 14th minute to tie the match 1-1, but Missouri Valley responded four minutes later for a 2-1 lead that took the teams to halftime.

Missouri Valley tallied four more goals in the second half for the convincing victory, raising its records to 10-5-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the conference.

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Lindstrom takes 3rd at NAIA Stampede

Sun - 21 Oct Written by Metro Sports Report

James Lindstrom of Mount Mercy finished third out of 276 runners at the NAIA Stampede cross country meet at Noelridge Park Saturday.

Olivet Nazarene won the championship in the 23-team men's competition. Philip Lagemann of the University of Saint Mary captured the 8K race in 25 minutes, 34.8 seconds. Lindstrom placed third in 26:02.1.

Colton Forster of Mount Mercy finished 14th. The Mustangs placed fifth in the team standings.

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