BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Olivet Nazarene held off Governors State in a five-set match Friday night, earning a 3-2 (25-14, 25-27, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12) win inside McHie Arena.
Brody McAfee led the Tigers’ attack with 17 kills and five blocks, while Kahaku Marquez added 12 kills and three service aces. Jackson Harvey was efficient, finishing with 11 kills on 14 attempts for a .714 hitting percentage. ONU hit .289 as a team and recorded 24 block assists in the win.
ONU controlled the opening set from the start, hitting .400 while holding Governors State to a .000 attack percentage. The Tigers capitalized on seven Jaguars attack errors and put away eight kills, three from McAfee. ONU pulled away with a 6-1 run to close out the set, taking it 25-14.
Governors State responded in the second set, winning 27-25 to even the match. The Jaguars hit .300 in the frame, while ONU matched their offensive output with 14 kills but committed three service errors. Cade Ooms and Marquez each chipped in multiple kills, and the Tigers held a late lead before Governors State strung together a 4-1 run to take the set.
ONU bounced back in the third, winning 25-23 behind a .458 hitting percentage. McAfee and Marquez combined for seven kills, while Jaiton Kamaunu and Ooms added key points. Tomas Gonzalez and Will Byers controlled the passing game, helping ONU hold off a late push from Governors State to regain the match lead.
Governors State forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-21 win in the fourth. ONU struggled offensively, hitting just .049 with 11 attack errors. The Jaguars took advantage of the Tigers’ miscues, using a late surge to pull away. McAfee had five kills in the set, but it wasn’t enough to close out the match.
The Tigers delivered in the final frame, hitting .500 with eight kills and just one error to secure a 15-12 win. McAfee and Harvey stayed productive, while Marquez recorded a late kill to keep ONU in control. A service error from Governors State sealed the victory for the Tigers.
Looking Ahead
ONU will travel to Judson on Feb. 26th for a conference match with first serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.
—ONU—
*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu
