Elkhart Times

Program record-tying 13 aces gives Leafs their second sweep of the week

On Saturday afternoon at home, the Maple Leafs men's volleyball team had a program record-tying 13 aces in a 3-0 sweep over Rio Grande (Ohio). The 24 block assists were their second-highest in a match this season despite only playing three sets. GC is eighth in the NAIA in block assists this season.

The 55 points allowed by Goshen is the fewest they have given up in a match this season. The team's 12 blocks were a season-high for a three-set match.

Goshen completed their second sweep of the week after taking down Bethel on Tuesday in the U.S. Highway 20 Cup. A long rally in the middle of the first set shifted the momentum from the RedStorm to the Leafs. Rio Grande was up 12-9, but Hasan Hadzic ended the rally with a kill on an assist by Andy Bennett. Goshen ended the set on a 16-6 run starting with that point. GC had five aces in that set and won the set point on an ace from Andy Bennett.

Rio Grande led 23-20 in the second set until Goshen ended it on a 5-0 run. The RedStorm used two late timeouts but couldn't get any more steam. Hasan Hadzic and Wyatt Bollinger came up with block assists on the final point to win 25-23.

Goshen had many attack errors in the first two sets but were more efficient in the third in a 25-14 win. They had a .423 hitting percentage in the set, and Hasan Hadzic had five aces during a 10-0 Goshen run.

The Leafs had 13 aces, while the RedStorm had just three. Hasan Hadzic, Ishmail Bangura, and Juan Llama all had at least six kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Hadzic added six aces, seven block assists, and three digs. His six aces tie a career-high that he had while at LIU Brooklyn against St. Francis on February 22, 2022, and is the most he has had at Goshen. It ties a program record set by teammate Andy Bennett on February 19, 2021, against Aquinas. Wyatt Bollinger totaled 32 assists, six block assists, six digs, and two aces. He surpassed 500 assists this season and now sits at 524. Alex Koscher tied a season-high with four digs. 

Original source can be found here.