Cedar Rapids, Iowa -- #8 OUAZ Men's Volleyball saw its season come to a close on Thursday evening, falling to #1 Park (Mo.) in straight sets (20-25, 21-25, 23-25) in pool play at the NAIA National Championship inside the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Despite the sweep, OUAZ competed tightly with the tournament's top seed throughout the match, keeping each set within reach. The Spirit showed early composure, trading points with Park in the opening frame before a late push by the Pirates secured the set. In set two, OUAZ responded with one of its strongest stretches of the night, using a run sparked by multiple service aces from AJ Scott to build a late advantage. However, Park answered down the stretch, hitting .550 in the set to narrowly pull ahead 25-21. The third set proved to be the most competitive, with OUAZ holding a late 23-22 lead before Park closed on a decisive run to complete the sweep.
Jack Hubbard led the Spirit with 13 kills on an efficient .375 hitting percentage, while Caeden Salmen added eight kills and Treven Clizbe contributed six. Scott provided a spark from the service line with three aces, and setter Madduxx Goron dished out 29 assists in the effort. OUAZ finished with 34 kills but was limited to a .143 hitting percentage against a disciplined Park defense.
With the loss, OUAZ concludes its season at 20-7 overall, falling just short of advancing out of pool play. The Spirit cap off a strong campaign that included a GSAC Tournament runner-up finish and a return to the NAIA National Championship stage.
