DES MOINES, Iowa. – The OUAZ Spirit (14-9, 5-5) ended their 2023 season after a five set loss to Park (Mo.). This being the second time the Pirates have ended the Spirit's postseason run, OUAZ are now 0-2 against the program. In a back-and-forth match that was neck and neck, the Spirit put up a tough fight and made Park work for the win. In the end the final set scores for the Spirit were 16-25, 25-21, 28-30, 25-21, 12-15
After falling by nine points in the first set (16-25), the Spirit rallied, taking the second set by four points (25-21) after tying or leading the entire set by at least one point the whole time.
OUAZ spearheaded the third set as well, going 5-0 at one point in the match. The Spirit did not fall below the Pirates until the final two points, where their opponent was able to take the win off a Spirit service error and an ace (28-30).
The Spirit made it known that they were not going down without a fight, bringing the total to 2-2 and forcing a fifth set after winning 25-21 in the fourth. The tie-breaking set was just as back and forth as the previous with the Spirit not falling behind until the final three points (12-15).
Emery Outin (26) and Addah Nestor (13) were both hot on the attack, accumulating double digit kills on the day. Outin led the entire match with his 26 kills, while four other Spirit members picked up multiple as well.
A leading force for the offense, Tyler Gardenhire, earned himself a career high of 55 assists, bringing his season total to 581. The grad student ended up making 92% of the team's assists against the Pirates.
Gardenhire proved himself a worthy all around player, picking up the most blocks of the day (6) as well. Blake Music, Quaid King and Michail Kagialis tailed close behind with five each.
The two teams matched in almost every category going 60-60 in kills, 60-58 in assists, 46-46 in digs, 4-7 in aces and 24-22 in blocks (OUAZ-Park).
In their sixth season as a program, the Spirit went 14-9 overall and 5-5 against conference opponents. The program competed in both the GSAC conference Championship and the NAIA Championship for the second time in school history.
