GOSHEN, Ind. - Hasan Hadzic served 13 points in a row and had eight aces during that stretch in the fourth set of a four-set win against Olivet Nazarene on Saturday, a team receiving votes in the coaches poll. The Leafs won 25-22, 14-25, 25-17, 25-17.
The Leafs finished with 15 aces, just one shy of their school record of 16 from the Warner match earlier this season. He averages 1.10 aces per set, which is fifth in the NAIA.
Goshen won a tight first set 25-22 with an impressive hitting percentage of .455. The teams were tied at every point from 4-4 to 16-16. The tide shifted dramatically in the second set when they lost 25-14 and posted a hitting percentage of .083. ONU led 3-2 in the third but wouldn't hold it for the rest of the set. They led 14-10 in the fourth when Hadzic started his streak as the server. Goshen went from a four-point deficit to a nine-point lead at 23-14 - a 13-0 run. Goshen is now 3-0 all-time against the Tigers.
Hadzic nearly had a triple-double with 20 kills, ten aces and nine digs.
Igor Sapucaia had 36 assists in his second match as a Leaf.
Ishmail Bangura had 12 kills and six digs.
Bruno Barac had two solo blocks and a block assist, and
Sawyer Frystak had two block assists and a solo block.
Goshen (3-3) is 2-2 against teams that are ranked or receiving votes. They wrap up their five-game stretch of opponents with that qualification when they host #14 Lourdes on Tuesday, February 13, at 7:00 pm.