Mustangs earn first 2025 win over Rocky Mountain

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. — On Friday's second day of the regular season, the Morningside women's volleyball team picked up its first win of the year, and pushed a Top 15 opponent to five sets before falling.

RV Morningside defeated Rocky Mountain in four sets in the nightcap, but lost to No. 11 McPherson 3-2 to start play in the Siouxland Sports Academy Tournament.

The Mustangs defeated the Battlin' Bears by set scores of 23-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-18. Morningside hit .243 during the third set, while going .231 in set No. 2.

The Mustangs (1-2) scored 13 straight points to clinch the second set. Aubrey Sandbothe was the server during the entire rally, and she had two service aces during that stretch. Jacey Miller and Victoria Bouska closed out that set with back-to-back kills.

In set 3, the Mustangs had two separate four-point rallies.

Miller had 16 kills and 15 digs during the win. Miyah Whitehead had 10 kills en route to a .222 match. Audrey Waido led the Mustangs with 37 assists.

Sandbothe collected 11 digs, while Waido had nine.

While there weren't any solo blocks, three Mustangs — Waido, Miller and Bouska — each had three assisted blocks.

McPherson defeated the Mustangs by set scores of 25-11, 25-14, 21-25, 9-25, and 15-7. Miller led the hitting with 12 kills, while Waido topped her team in assists (24) and digs (13). Bouska had two solo blocks. Payten Lode earned three of the six aces in that match.