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Balanced Mustangs roll by Judson

ELGIN, Ill. - Mount Mercy Coach Paul Gavin predicted the Mustangs would have a balanced attack this season.

So far he's right on the money.

The balanced Mustangs outscored Judson by 20 points in the second half Friday night and opened the 2014-15 basketball season with an 84-63 victory at the Lindner Fitness Center in Elgin, Ill.

How's this for balance: Eight Mustangs scored 12, 10, 10, 9, 9, 8, 8 and 8 points in the triumph.

Dondre Osborne led the way for Mount Mercy with 12 points. Ian Matos and Da'Quan Moore netted 10 apiece. Kevin Price-Major and Kyle Lamaak scored nine points. Alex Houston, Ben Struss and James Boonstoppel had eight points apiece.

Mount Mercy led by a slim point at halftime, 36-35, but the Mustangs dominated the second half.

MOUNT MERCY (84): Houston 3 2-7 8, Osborne 4 3-5 12, Matos 4 2-2 10, Moore 4 0-0 10, Struss 4 0-0 8, Boonstoppel 2 2-2 8, Murdock 0 0-0 0, Johnson 1 1-2 3, Misener 2 0-0 5, Price-Majors 4 1-4 9, Lamaak 3 3-6 9, Gogg 1 0-0 2. Totals 32 14-28 84.

JUDSON (63): Eck 3 2-3 10, Woodhouse 2 4-4 9, Galloway 2 0-0 4, Schwarz 3 4-6 10, Jackson 2 0-0 4, Pearson 5 2-4 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Goldston 0 0-0 0, Burton 1 0-0 2, Giilespie 0 0-0 0, Hill 2 0-0 6, McElrath 1 2-2 4, Graupmann 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 14-19 63.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 36, Judson 35. 3-point goals - Mount Mercy 6 (Boonstoppel 2, Moore 2, Osborne 1, Misener 1), Judson 5 9Eck 2, Hill 2, Woodhouse 1). Fouled out - none.

Culver-Stockton sweeps Mustangs

Culver-Stockton raised its record to 19-9 with a 25-20, 25-18, 26-24 Midwest Collegiate Conference volleyball win Thursday night at Hennessey Recreation Center.

Megan Paustian and Leslie Hoffman led the Mustangs (14-22) with 10 kills apiece. Samantha Meyer had a match-high 20 digs. Abbie Perez chipped in with 30 assists.

Mustangs sweep Waldorf in volleyball

Abbie Perez collected 30 assists Tuesday night as Mount Mercy swept Waldorf, 25-11, 25-19 25-19, in a college volleyball match at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Leslie Hoffmann contributed 12 kills for the Mustangs. Cori Peterzalek had 11 kills and nine digs. Megan Paustian furnished nine kills and Samantha Meyer had 15 digs.

Mount Mercy raised its record to 14-20 overall. Waldorf fell to 14-21.

Mustangs pay tribute to absent teammate

There will be an empty chair for Mount Mercy men's basketball games this season at the Hennessey Recreation Center in honor of Danny DeBacker, a member of the team who was killed in a car crash by a drunk driver last month.

DeBacker's white home No. 20 jersey will be displayed on the bench in his memory and the team's shooting jerseys say "DD No. 20" on them.

He's gone but certainly not forgotten.

"I still struggle sleeping a little bit at night, because that's when I think about him," Mount Mercy Coach Paul Gavin said Tuesday after practice. "He was a great kid."

It's been a stressful year for Gavin and the Mustangs. He kicked four players off the team during the season last year, contributing to a rare 12-20 overall record and 3-9 finish in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

"For the first time in my career I had to dismiss players," he said. "All four of them were starters. It was all at the same time. It changed things."

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