MOUNT VERNON – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University athletic department announced its spectator policy for the upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons in a Nov. 4 release.
For each home game, athletes will be allowed four family members or friends, and 180 students will be allowed to attend games at Ariel Arena this winter.
The release added that “a very limited number of staff, donors and community members will be permitted entrance as well.”
All in attendance will be required to wear face masks.
Arena seats will be marked off for spacing and the teams will have 15 seats on the bench, which will be staggered to allow for distance.
The women’s team opened the season with an 84-83 loss at Rochester (Mich.) University on Oct. 30. The Cougars were scheduled to begin the season with four consecutive games on the road, including a Nov. 6 matchup at 22nd-ranked Indiana Institute of Technology.
Their Nov. 7 game at Indiana University of Kokomo was canceled and declared a no contest because of COVID-19.
The women’s team won’t open at home until Nov. 14 against Cornerstone University.
The men’s team was scheduled to head to the Chicago area this weekend to open the season. But its games at Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais, Illinois; and at Governors State in University Park, Illinois; were canceled and declared no contests because of COVID-19.
The Cougars will now open the season at home against Rio Grande on Nov. 10.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
MOUNT VERNON – Tory Small, Casey Bunner and Molly Galaszewski each had season-best offensive performances in the Cougars’ 18-25, 25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 15-13 win. MVNU outlasted visiting Huntington in a five-set, back-and-forth battle in Crossroads League play on Nov. 2 at Ariel Arena.
Small had a pair of kills late in the fifth set to help MVNU secure the victory, including one that broke a 13-13 tie. Bunner’s block clinched the victory.
Small led the Cougars with 16 kills, Bunner added 15 and Galaszewski had 14, which were season highs for all three.
Bunner added 15 digs and 4.5 blocks to her ledger, and Small had 5.5 blocks for MVNU.
Paige Brenner had 49 assists and Ellie Ruby had 28 digs to lead the Cougars (5-6, 5-6).
Abby Robinson had 19 kills, Brandy Michie added 12 and Tya Bynum 10 for the Foresters (1-14, 1-13).
Jennings Tacosik dished out 45 assists; and Ariene Butler, Hannah Maier and Sam Gray led the Huntington defense with 20, 12 and 10 digs, respectively.
