Men's Volleyball Opens Play in National Tournament With a Sweep Against Indiana Tech

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, (April 28, 2026)- The No. 4 seed Missouri Valley College men's volleyball team opened play at the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship with a Pool D match against No. 12 seed Indiana Tech, Tuesday afternoon inside the Alliant Energy PowerHouse.  The Vikings swept to a victory by scores of 25-21, 25-21, 25-20.

Game one started with both teams trading points through a 5-5 score, where Senior Opposite Luca Hasse (Paderborn, Germany) had one kill, Junior Outside Hitter Frederico Baptista (Esmoriz, Portugal) added three kills, and Junior Middle Blocker Joao Tavares (Parana, Brazil) and Sophomore Setter Leonardo Goncalves (Ribierao Preto, Brazil) teamed up on a block.  Indiana Tech eventually went in front, taking eight of the next eleven points to hold a 13-8 lead.  Missouri Valley used two kills from Hasse, and a Warriors error to cut its deficit down to 16-11.  The Vikings followed by winning five-straight points, using a kill from Junior Libero Thales Thomas (Sao Paulo, Brazil), three Indiana Tech errors, and a block from Tavares and Goncalves to tie the game at 16-16.  Points were traded over the next stretch of play, which included a kill from Freshman Outside Hitter Loan Fargier (France), and a solo block from Sophomore Middle Blocker Martin Tseyera (Salta, Argentina) to keep the score tied, 19-19.  Indiana Tech won the next two points to move on top, 21-19, but the Vikings responded by winning the final six points, featuring an ace from Fargier, a block from Junior Outside Hitter Pierro Porras (Lima, Peru) and Tseyera, and two kills from Hasse to finish the opener at 25-21.

Game two started with Missouri Valley taking control early, as Fargier added a kill, and Hasse and Porras each had two kills to make it a 7-2 score.  The Warriors won five of the next seven points to close the gap down to 9-7.  The Vikings continued to stay in front, featuring a kill and a block from Fargier, and a kill from Hasse over the next stretch of play.  Another three-point run for MVC, with an Indiana Tech error and a kill each from Porras and Hasse, helped Missouri Valley hold a 16-11 advantage.  The two teams traded the next several points, but the Vikings maintained its lead with a kill apiece from Porras and Tavares, and two Warriors errors, 20-15.  Indiana Tech trimmed down its deficit late in the game, taking five of the next seven points, but a kill each from Hasse and Porras sent the team to game-point.  Freshman Outside Hitter Bart Mulder (Hoogeveen, Netherlands) ended the second game with a kill, as MVC won 25-21, and moved to a 2-0 lead in the match.  The Vikings hit at a .536 percentage in the game.

Looking for the sweep in game three, Missouri Valley won six of the opening eight points, where Fargier landed an ace to start the game.  Porras and Hasse each had one kill, while Freshman Setter Alberto Fontanabona (Brazil) added an ace during the early run, and MVC went in front, 6-2.  Indiana Tech worked back to a 6-5 deficit, but the Vikings responded by winning six of the next seven points, as Hasse landed a kill, and Tavares added two kills, a solo block, and also teamed up with Fargier on another block to put the score at 12-6.  Points were traded over the next stretch of play, where Fargier had two kills, and teamed up with Senior Middle Blocker Arthur Martineli (Curitiba, Brazil) on a block, along with a kill from Mulder to extend the lead, 17-10.  The Warriors cut its deficit down to 21-17, but a kill apiece from Mulder and Freshman Outside Hitter Timothee Carpentier (Aix-en-Provence, France) helped Missouri Valley maintain its advantage, 23-17.  Indiana Tech answered back winning three-straight points, but a late Warriors error, and a final block from Martineli and Hasse closed out game three, 25-20, to sweep the match.

Hasse led with 15 kills.  Fargier had seven kills, six digs, and three blocks, while Porras totaled seven kills and an ace.  Mulder added five kills, and Goncalves finished with 26 assists and eight digs.  Missouri Valley limited the Warriors to a .212 hitting percentage, with a total of nine blocks and two aces.

Missouri Valley improves to 24-5 on the season, and Indiana Tech drops to 22-10. 

Up next, the Vikings men's volleyball team will play its final pool match, against No. 5 seed Campbellsville (Ky.), Thursday at 4 p.m. A win by Missouri Valley sends the team into the National semifinal round.

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About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.