V-Hawks Return from Jamestown Empty-Handed

JAMESTOWN, ND – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team traveled to the University of Jamestown for the UJ Invitational this weekend, but were unable to secure a win, falling 0-3 (23-25, 22-25, 14-25) to Dordt (Iowa), 1-3 (21-25, 17-25, 25-19, 17-25) to UC-Merced (and 0-3 to Jamestown (15-25, 23-25, 14-25). After the weekend, the V-Hawks are now 3-7 (1-3 NSAA), the Defenders are 6-1 (2-1 GPAC), the Bobcats are now 3-6, and the Jimmies are 8-0 (3-0 GPAC).

In the first set of the first match against Dordt, the Defenders started the game with four straight points, but Jacob Nonn's kill from Kou Her got the V-Hawks on the board. A block by Alex Kratzenstein and Jaden Wiest, along with a Joe Todd kill gave Viterbo their first lead, 8-7. The teams would trade leads and ties with VU being paced by aces from Caleb Koza and Nonn. Nonn then ties the game 23-23, but DU won the set 25-23.

The Defenders managed to build a large lead to start the second set, 12-5. Dordt errors and multiple kills set up by Wiest brought the game within three, 12-15, and while Logan Amdur came in to set up Justin Kratzenstein, Nonn and Wiest, the V-Hawks could not take the lead, losing 22-25.

Another early lead for Dordt gave them a 2-9 advantage. Juan Banda's ace helped VU bring it closer, 7-10, and Her had one of his own, but it would not be enough. Dordt played through J. Kratzenstein and Todd's kills to win 14-25.

Nonn led the V-Hawks with 12 kills, Wiest had 12 assists, and Banda had 10 digs. Brady Frost had a game-high 13 kills for Dordt, and Lukas Van Groningen had 35 assists.

In the second match against UC Merced, Viterbo jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a Nonn block, then a 4-9 lead on a J. Kratzenstein kill and Bobcat errors. Merced battled back to take a 10-11 lead, then going up by as much as 20-15. Daxton Marschall recorded an ace and Todd and A. Kratzenstein put down a block, but it came too late and Merced won 21-25.

Nonn and A. Kratzenstein scored four of Viterbo's first five points in the second, and Koza's solo block brought the score to 9-10 early. UCM pulled away to lead 11-15, and after a Nonn ill and J. Kratzenstein block, they led 14-19. The Bobcats then scored six straight to set up the 17-24 set win.

Her's ace brought put Viterbo up 4-0 to start the third, and consecutive kills by Nonn helped Viterbo go up 10-6. Her's kills kept the momentum in Viterbo's favor, leading 19-11. Nonn would make sure the V-Hawks claimed a victory, with a solo block and kill late to the win, 25-19.

The fourth set would be Merced's turn to take a quick lead, going up 7-3. Bobcat errors and J. Kratzenstein's kill kept VU in striking distance, but they would not close the gap. Todd and Nonn had late kills to keep Viterbo hopeful, but UCM would win 17-25.

Nonn had a team-high 14 kills, Wiest had 19 assists, and Todd added eight digs. Chris Morikawa had 14 kills for the Bobcats, Toby Miller had 23 assists, and Jozef Lingenfelter recorded three solo blocks.

In the final match of the weekend, Jamestown built a 4-9 lead, and Todd stopped their early run with a kill from Amdur. Koza's kill and Jimmie errors kept the game close until UJ ran six straight points to set up their 15-25 win.

A. Kratzenstein and Koza teamed up for a block to start the second, and J. Kratzenstein and Garran Wilming put down another block to bring the score to 8-9. Wiest found Nonn and Kratzenstein to keep the game close. Todd started a late run for the V-Hawks that included a J. Kratzenstein-Koza block and Nonn kill, but it came too late, and Jamestown won 23-25.

Koza and Nonn's early kills were not enough as the Jimmies went up 3-9. The Jimmies kept the V-Hawks at bay, and despite Todd and A. Kratzenstein's kills, UJ would win easily 14-25.

Nonn had nine kills for the V-Hawks, Wiest had 16 assists, Banda had 13 digs and Koza had three blocks. Oguzhan Oguz had a game-high12 kills for the Jimmies, and Derek Correa had 31 assists.

Viterbo returns to action on Tuesday, February 14 as they host Clarke University (Iowa) at 7 PM.