V-Hawks Rally Falls Short at Home

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team nearly mounted a reverse sweep over Judson University (Ill.) but fell short, 2-3 (20-25, 14-25, 25-18, 25-21, 12-15) on Tuesday night. The V-Hawks drop to 3-4 (1-3 CCAC) while the Eagles improve to 9-3 (3-0 CCAC).

The Eagles started the opening set with three straight points, but errors and kills from Jacob Nonn and a Joe Todd-Jaden Wiest block helped keep the V-Hawks close. After a Kou Her kill, Judson would start a run that would be interrupted by Caleb Koza's solo block, but would give them a 13-21 lead. Five straight points by Viterbo, including more Nonn kills and a Koza-Alex Kratzenstein block, but it wouldn't be enough and Judson claimed the set win, 20-25.

Despite errors by the Eagles and kills by Nonn, JU would build an early 5-12 run. Her and Todd contributed kills, but it wouldn't slow Judson, who went up 9-20 on a kill by Brendan Gibbons. Juan Banda had consecutive aces, but it was much too late and Judson won the set 14-25.

Kratzenstein started the third set with a block that, with the help of Her's ace and Justin Kratzenstein's kill, led to a 9-7 V-Hawk lead. Koza put down back-to-back kills and Todd added an ace to extend that lead to 13-8, while Nonn's kill made it 17-11. The teams traded volleys but the Eagles could not close the gap, and A. Kratzenstein got in on two blocks, one with Koza, one with Her, to end the third set 25-18.

Viterbo would build only a small lead of three points to start the fourth set, on a Nonn kill, but as the team alternated points, they would stay in the lead. A. Kratzenstein brought it to a 14-11 game, while Todd made it 16-13, and A. Kratzenstein yet again at 18-15. The Eagles managed to finally take the lead at 20-21 after Elijah Gregg's kill, but Todd and Nonn helped run five straight points to even the match at 2 sets apiece.

Neither team would establish a large lead to start the fifth, with five ties by the time the set reached 7-7. Judson scored three straight, stopped by A. Kratzenstein's kill, but despite Koza, Nonn, and Jaden Wiest's efforts, the Eagles would win the fifth, 12-15.

Nonn led all players with 24 kills on .238 hitting. Wiest had 45 assists, while Banda had a team-high 16 digs and Her added 11. Koza had five total blocks. Gregg led the Eagles with 17 kills, Elijah Wrobel had 54 assists, and Jackson Otto had 22 digs.

Viterbo returns to action on Thursday, February 9 at Cardinal Stritch to take on the Wolves at 6 PM.