Missouri Valley College Men's Volleyball Advances to HEART Semifinals

Vikings defeat Dordt in four sets to earn semifinal matchup with Mount Mercy

Apr. 12, 2026 at 5:39pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic action of a men's volleyball match, with players and the ball broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette.Missouri Valley College's men's volleyball team continues its quest for a conference championship with a hard-fought victory over Dordt.Cedar Rapids Today

The Missouri Valley College men's volleyball team avenged their regular-season loss to Dordt by defeating the Defenders in four sets on Saturday, April 11 in the opening round of the Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament. The Vikings will now face Mount Mercy in the semifinals on Wednesday after the Mustangs swept Ottawa.

Why it matters

This victory keeps Missouri Valley's season alive as they continue their quest for a conference championship and potential berth in the NAIA national tournament. The Vikings had swept Mount Mercy earlier this season, but the Mustangs will be looking to avenge that loss and advance to the HEART final.

The details

Missouri Valley posted scores of 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, and 25-14 to advance. The Vikings hit at a 46% clip and recorded 35 digs and seven blocks. Luca Hesse led MVC with 17 kills on a .423 hitting percentage, while Loan Fargier posted a double-double of 14 kills and 10 digs. Joao Tavares added 12 kills and five blocks for the Vikings.

  • The match took place on Saturday, April 11.
  • The semifinals will be played on Wednesday.

The players

Luca Hesse

Led Missouri Valley with 17 kills on a .423 hitting percentage, along with six digs.

Loan Fargier

Recorded a double-double of 14 kills and 10 digs for the Vikings.

Joao Tavares

Added 12 kills and five blocks for Missouri Valley.

Mount Mercy

The Mustangs swept Ottawa to advance to the semifinals and will host Missouri Valley.

Park

The top-seeded team in the conference, Park defeated Morningside in three sets to reach the semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to have another opportunity to play for a conference championship. Our guys battled hard today and earned this chance to keep our season going.”

— Matt Hill, Missouri Valley College Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Missouri Valley vs. Mount Mercy semifinal will advance to the HEART championship match on Saturday, April 18.

The takeaway

Missouri Valley College's men's volleyball team continues to prove they are one of the top programs in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, reaching the semifinals for the second consecutive season. Their regular-season sweep of Mount Mercy gives them confidence heading into the semifinal matchup, but the Mustangs will be seeking revenge as they look to punch their ticket to the conference final.