Statesmen Sweep Clarke in Road Victory

Dubuque--The No. 5 William Penn men's volleyball team delivered a dominant performance Tuesday night, sweeping Clarke 3-0 in Heart of America Athletic Conference action.

The Statesmen (6-5, 3-1 Heart) outlasted the Pride (1-7, 1-2 Heart) in a competitive battle, securing the sweep with set scores of 25-18, 25-20, and 25-17.

The opening set saw both teams locked in a tight exchange early, deadlocked at 6-6 before William Penn gained a slight 11-10 edge. A quick 4-1 run gave the Statesmen breathing room, and after trading points, they found another gear, closing the set with a 5-1 surge.

Clarke responded in the second set, stringing together five unanswered points to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 9-6 advantage. William Penn, however, countered with a commanding 14-5 stretch, seizing control at 20-10. The Pride fought to stay in the frame, but the Statesmen stayed composed, securing a 2-0 match lead.

Riding that momentum, William Penn raced out to a dominant 12-4 start in the third set. Clarke attempted to chip away but managed only six points before the Statesmen pushed their lead to double digits. Though the Pride showed some late resistance with a 7-5 run, William Penn stayed in command, closing out the match in straight sets.

Statistically, the Statesmen edged Clarke in kills (39-31) while posting an efficient .300 hitting percentage compared to Clarke's .074. William Penn's disciplined attack also proved key, committing just 12 errors while forcing Clarke into 24.

Ben Cemeno-Castillo (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management) led the offense with 12 kills, while Josh Bluhm (Fr., Lockport, Ill., Software Engineering) and Britten Beallis (Jr., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) chipped in seven apiece.

Brady Zell (Fr., Wales, Wis., Business Management) orchestrated the offense with 34 assists, while João Gabriel Filippelli (So., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) anchored the defense with a match-high 15 digs.

"Good win for our guys to head into the off-weekend," said Head Coach Luke Bentley. "Lots of guys continue to contribute to the team."

Next Up: William Penn faces Heart rival Grand View next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa.