WATERTOWN, Wis. -- In a classic NCCAA Midwest Region Tournament match for the ages, the Sabercats went toe to toe with Moody but fell in five sets in an all-out regional marathon this afternoon.
The loss brings a disappointing end to the Sabercats' 2025 season, as the side fought all the way to the finish on a day to remember while putting up multiple career-high marks on a day to remember at MBU.
OVERVIEW
- Result: Maranatha 2-3 Moody (15-25, 25-15, 25-22, 23-25, 11-15)
- Venue: Maranathat Baptist University Gymnasium
- Location: Watertown, Wis.
- Event: NCCAA Midwest Region Tournament
- Records: MBU (3-27), MDY (8-11)
STORY
The first set was all about the Archers, as the visitors forced 10 attack errors out of the Sabercats in the opening frame alone. Moody stayed ahead steadily throughout the frame, and a 5-0 closing statement from the Archers sealed the 25-15 win.
The Sabercats turned the tables on the Archers right away, though, responding with a 25-15 win over their own to square the match up at 1. Two early aces from Megan Miller and 3 kills from Tessa Hinze fueled an opening run, and two aces from Hinze capped off the set to give the Sabercats the momentum again.
That momentum turned into a wave, as the Sabercats put down 14 kills in the following set to push the match in their favor.
Megan Anderson (3 kills) and Hinze (4) did the most damage to the Archers, who couldn't offset the momentum the Sabercats were working on. Meanwhile,
Megan Miller and
Sarah Nason were leading a career night for almost the entire Sabercats' defense, picking up digs like no tomorrow. The crowd and the points were all going Maranatha's way, and the Archers were feeling it. After a 25-22 Sabercats' win, the match looked like it would basically be a repeat of the week before.
But Moody had other plans. The Archers' attack threw Maranatha off of their rhythm, as 10 Maranatha miscues tiled the fourth set as Moody brought the match back to a tie. The fifth set was imminent, and the tension was thick in the gymnasium. As it unfolded, Moody had the last laugh. The Archers saved their best for last, logging 9 kills in the abbreviated fifth set to punch their ticket to the regional semifinal, throw off the Sabercats' season sweep, and end the Sabercats season after a fight for the ages.
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MBU Starters: 6- Botha, 7- Malmanger, 9- Hinze, 13- Broere, 14- Anderson, 16- Nason, 22- Miller (C) (Libero)
STATS
- Hinze: 20 kills*, 8 digs
- Miller: 42 digs*
- Nason: 8 kills*, 24 digs
- Ella Malmanger: 10 kills, 32 digs*
- Eileen Botha: 37 assists*, 23 digs*
- Anderson: 7 kills, 21 digs*
- Last time: The Sabercats beat the Archers in four sets last week
- Series: The all-time series stands at 45-11 in Maranatha's favor
*career-high
OPPONENTS
- Moody competes competes with the Sabercats in the Midwest Region (NCCAA DII)
NEXT
A full recap of the season will be coming at mbusabercats.com.
