1/19/2026
Match Preview
Teams: Carthage Firebirds vs MSOE Raiders
Date: Tuesday, 1/20 8PM
Records: Carthage (2-0) vs MSOE (1-0)
Carthage is off to a great start and is clearly near the top of the D3 volleyball competitive landscape for 2026. They have reinforced OH1 after losing Owen Otto to injury for the season with Ball State transfer Ryan Bartz, and have a ton of firepower with Ben Heise, Ruben Emmerich, and Ryan Monahan on the attack, as well as 6’7″ senior setter Ryan Morey, and sophomore Austin Mallory at libero. They are ranked top 5 in our preseason poll and have unlimited upside potential with Coach JW pushing the buttons. Solid team, potential state champion.
MSOE is under the radar on most national rankings. Our algorithm for preseason has them at #14 overall which we are sure faced some skepticism from fans. After their solid win over Mount Union to open their campaign, we did a deeper dive on statistical comparisons so far for the season with albeit a very small sample size. But a few things stood out that clearly indicates the Raiders potential for 2026.
Mount Union was #1 in the NACC in the coaches preseason poll and most rankers had them in their top 25. The numbers produced statistically by MSOE against MU were eye opening. MSOE had just 8 hit errors for the match. They hit a whopping .398 as a team for the match. Parker Rings, the 6’4″ junior setter, has settled in and shown leadership and talent. He may be the best setter in the NACC and based on his upcoming season, could be a top 10 candidate in the country. He has the weapons with senior OH Seth Thomas, 6’4″ junior RS Callan Harris, and Matt Schultz in the middle, plus he has other solid contributors that he can spread his distribution to on the attack.
We are not predicting an early season upset. What we are predicting is that MSOE is better than most think and will be competitive with the Firebirds. Of course, the trip to Kenosha is always up hill. The match Friday with Loras should be tight as well.
Catch all the action from Tarble Arena Tuesday at 7PM CST at this livestream link… https://cciwnetwork.com/carthage/
Carthage vs MSOE Statistical Comparison
Team Per-Set Statistics
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sets Played | 6 | 3 | – |
| Points Per Set | 17.50 | 18.33 | MSOE (+0.83) |
| Kills Per Set | 12.33 | 14.33 | MSOE (+2.00) |
| Aces Per Set | 2.50 | 1.67 | Carthage (+0.83) |
| Blocks Per Set | 2.33 | 2.33 | Even |
| Digs Per Set | 7.83 | 10.00 | MSOE (+2.17) |
Team Percentages
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Hitting % | .285 | .398 | MSOE (+.113) |
Offensive Efficiency (Per Set Averages)
Attack Statistics
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Attacks/Set | 28.67 | 29.33 | MSOE (+0.66) |
| Errors/Set | 4.17 | 2.67 | MSOE (+1.50 fewer) |
| Hitting % | .285 | .398 | MSOE (+.113) |
Setting Statistics
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assists/Set | 11.33 | 13.67 | MSOE (+2.34) |
| Assist % | – | – | – |
Defensive Efficiency (Per Set Averages)
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocks/Set | 2.33 | 2.33 | Even |
| Digs/Set | 7.83 | 10.00 | MSOE (+2.17) |
Serving Statistics (Per Set Averages)
| Metric | Carthage | MSOE | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aces/Set | 2.50 | 1.67 | Carthage (+0.83) |
| Service Errors/Set | 6.17 | 7.33 | Carthage (+1.16 fewer) |
Key Statistical Insights
Key Statistical Insights
MSOE Strengths:
- Significantly higher hitting percentage (.398 vs .285)
- More kills per set (14.33 vs 12.33)
- Fewer attack errors per set (2.67 vs 4.17)
- Better dig efficiency (10.00 vs 7.83 digs/set)
- More assists per set (13.67 vs 11.33)
Carthage Strengths:
- Better service game (2.50 aces/set vs 1.67)
- Fewer service errors (6.17 vs 7.33)
Match Considerations:
- MSOE has limited data (only 3 sets played, 1 match)
- Carthage has twice the sample size (6 sets, 2 matches)
- MSOE’s offensive efficiency is notably higher, but sample size caveat applies
- MSOE shows superior offensive execution with higher hitting percentage and fewer errors
- Both teams are even in blocking (2.33 blocks/set)
Projected Key Battle: The match will likely be decided by whether Carthage can maintain their serving pressure and defensive efficiency against MSOE’s superior hitting percentage. Both teams are even in blocking.