Men's Volleyball Notes -- Week 3

STORYLINES
Following its runner-up finish at the Pirate Invitational over the weekend, the 12th-ranked OUAZ men's volleyball team is set to open its home schedule with a pair of matches in Faith Arena this week. The Spirit will host No. 6 Benedictine Mesa on Tuesday at 6 p.m. They then welcome Park Gilbert on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

OUAZ comes home with a 7-1 record on the season after finishing 3-1 last weekend. The Spirit is 1-1 in road matches and 6-0 when playing on a neutral court. They are 9-3 all-time at Faith Arena – including 4-0 last season – and have won seven straight at home.

The Spirit split two matches against ranked opponents at the Pirate Invitational, winning over No. 8 Missouri Valley, the program's first-ever win over a ranked opponent. Before that win, OUAZ had been 0-12 against ranked opponents in the program's history.

The team starts the week ranked third in the NAIA with its .321 attack percentage. The Spirit has hit above .250 six times this season, and twice have been above .500. They hit .810 in the win over Maranatha Baptist which is the highest hitting percentage by a team in any collegiate match all-time, according to published records.

OUAZ is also one of the top blocking teams in the country, where they are second in the NAIA with an average of 2.71 blocks per set. They lead the GSAC in block assists (120), total blocks (76), and blocks per set while also sitting in the top six nationally in each category.

OUAZ also leads the NAIA by averaging 3.08 service aces per set. They have recorded at least seven aces in every match this season while twice reaching double figures. Entering the season, an OUAZ team had only posted 10-plus aces in a match six times.

Jordan Moses leads the Spirit with 61 kills, and he is seventh in the GSAC in averaging 2.90 kills per set. Moses has been in double figures in kills four times this season and 16 times in his OUAZ career. His .263 attack percentage also ranks seventh in the conference.

Colin Donisthorpe and Brenden Hardt rank fourth and fifth in the NAIA in blocks per set. Donishtorpe is averaging 1.30 entering the week after posting 11 blocks – one shy of the OUAZ record – in the win over Mount Mercy. Hardt is at 1.29 blocks per set to have OUAZ as the only team in the NAIA with two players in the top five of the NAIA rankings.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Colin Donisthorpe: MB; 6' 10"; Graduate Student

#15 Jordan Moses: OPP; 6' 4"; Senior

#19 Brenden Hardt: MB; 6' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#12 Colin Donisthorpe
: 6' 10"; Graduate Student
: MB

#15 Jordan Moses
: 6' 4"; Senior
: OPP

#19 Brenden Hardt
: 6' 10"; Junior
: MB

Players Mentioned

#12 Colin Donisthorpe

#15 Jordan Moses

#19 Brenden Hardt

Players Mentioned

#12 Colin Donisthorpe

#15 Jordan Moses

#19 Brenden Hardt