WATERTOWN, Wis. -- Last night was a night the Sabercats won't forget anytime soon, as they battled Moody in a four-set Marathon to take their third home win of the season in front of a packed crowd on the MBU Campus.

Tessa Hinze hit a career-high kills mark with 16 while Eileen Botha (32 assists) and Megan Anderson (17 digs) both hit career-high marks. When the dust settles, the Sabercats will have one more home match of the regular sesaon, tonight at 6:00 p.m. against Great Lakes for Senior Night.

OVERVIEW 

• Result: Maranatha 3-1 Moody (19-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23)
• Venue: Maranathat Baptist University Gymnasium
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Records: MBU (3-25), MBI (7-10)

STORY 
The lead in the first set traded hands six times and the set was tied 12 times, as the two teams forecasted a match ahead that was too close to call. But the key moment came with the scored knitted at 18-18, when the Archers strung together a 7-1 run, fueled by two kills from - who else - Kiarra Henkel. A 25-19 win in the first set tilted the match in Moody's favor on the Sabercats' home floor. Game on.

Tessa Hinze's four kills muscled the momentum back to the Sabercats in the second frame, as MBU lead by as much as 5 points a couple of times. The lead dwindled under a surge of Moody swings late in the set, but the biggest moment came when a block from Hinze and Botha made it a 23-21 lead for MBU. Two late miscues from the Archers gave the set to Maranatha 25-23, and it was anyone's match from there.

The third set was even tighter than the second. A three-point lead was the biggest of the set, and a key moment came late on, when Sarah Nason stepped up for a kill and an ace for back-to-back points, nudging the lead out to 23-20 for Maranatha. A Hinze kill gave Maranatha set point at 24-21, but three straight from the Archers raised the temperature of the gym and kept everyone on their toes. An ace from Eileen Botha finally sealed the deal and put Maranatha on the brink of taking the match. The Pack was on their feet, and the Archers were on their heels.

WE HAVE THE LEAD.

?? Eileen ends it with an ace!

?? Maranatha 2
?? Moody 1

(19-25, 25-23, 26-24) || ?????????? pic.twitter.com/1IYcRmUWCs

— Maranatha Athletics (@MBUSabercats) November 1, 2024

Fittingly, the final three sets went into ties, as the four-set match was extended - much to the delight of the packed house at MBU. The fourth set was Maranatha's most dominant offensive display this season to date, as 15 kills fueled the fire in the four-set finale. Henkel was still leading the way for the Archers offensively, but she became a one-woman show, as Maranatha's balanced arsenal featured five kills from Hinze, four from Ella Malmanger, and a couple of kills each from Nason and Botha. Maranatha took the lead early and gave it up only once, as they held off the Archer attack to ride out the set.

Malmanger recorded three points for the Sabercats with a couple of kills and an ace to make it 22-19, and a big block from Anderson and Hinze gave Maranatha match point, and it ended in the following rally. It was a night to remember, as the cheers of the home crowd rang out to punctuate the big home win.
 

This is how you fan. pic.twitter.com/QvbgP52Yz1

— Maranatha Athletics (@MBUSabercats) November 1, 2024

 
MBU Starters: 6- Botha, 7- Malmanger, 9- Hinze, 13- Broere, 14- Anderson, 16- Nason, 22- Miller (C) (Libero)

STATS

• Hinze: 16K*, 2.5B
• Botha: 32A*, 7D
• Malmanger: 8K, 8D
• Anderson: 4SA, 17D*
• Miller: 27D
• Last time: The Sabercats swept the Archers four times last season
• Series: The all-time series stands at 45-10 in Maranatha's favor

*career-high

OPPONENTS

• Mood competes competes with the Sabercats in the Midwest Region

NEXT

The Sabercats will host Moody on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Central. Follow all the action at mbusabercats.com/schedule.