Stevenson University women’s volleyball swept Messiah University, 3-0, on Nov. 12 in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals at Owings Mills Gymnasium in Owings Mills, Md. The Mustangs won 25-20, 25-18 and 25-17 to advance to the conference championship match.
Rachel Lenz Leads Mustangs with Strong Offensive Performance
Rachel Lenz led Stevenson University with 17 kills while hitting .341. She added nine digs and two block assists in the sweep. Maren Zepfel contributed eight kills while hitting .444 and recorded four block assists. Emma Shaffer finished with five kills, 15 digs and two block assists, while Lillianna Hornickle added four kills and three block assists. Logan Burge recorded two kills and four block assists. Allison Gaus had a service ace in the second set, and Sydney Salazar added a kill during Stevenson’s 25-18 win in the frame.
Mustangs Dominate All Three Sets to Secure Victory
Stevenson University built a 10-6 advantage in the opening set behind attacks from Lenz and Zepfel. Messiah cut the deficit to 19-16 with a 5-0 run, but Stevenson responded with late kills from Zepfel and Lenz before Zepfel delivered the set-clinching point in the 25-20 victory.
The Mustangs opened the second set with a 5-1 lead and extended the margin to 17-11 after two Lenz kills. Stevenson added blocks from Zepfel and Burge and closed the set, 25-18, to take a 2-0 match lead.
Messiah erased an early 5-1 deficit in the third set and tied the score at 5-5. Stevenson regained control with blocks from Burge and Zepfel, built an 18-13 lead, and closed the match with a 7-2 run that included kills from Burge, Zepfel, and Shaffer before Lenz delivered the match-clinching kill.
Team Effort Propels Stevenson to Championship Match
Stevenson finished with 41 kills, 63 digs and seven team blocks while hitting .250. Courtney Foose recorded 16 assists and reached 1,000 career assists, while Declyn Tooze added 13 assists. Shaffer led the team defensively with 15 digs, followed by Lilly Eichelberger with 11 and Lenz with nine. The semifinal victory sent Stevenson University to the MAC Commonwealth Championship match.
Upcoming Championship Match
Stevenson University is scheduled to play at No. 1 Eastern University in the MAC Commonwealth Championship on Nov. 14, 2026. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Stevenson University received a team-leading performance from Lenz and production throughout its lineup in the semifinal sweep. Zepfel, Shaffer, Hornickle and Burge contributed across the attack and defense, while Foose and Tooze combined for 29 assists. The victory gives Stevenson a place in the MAC Commonwealth Championship match at No. 1 Eastern University. The Mustangs will have the opportunity to build on the three-set performance when the teams meet on Nov. 14.
Source: Original report
