Two Top-15 Teams Top V-Hawks

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team hosted a triangular on Saturday, featuring a pair of nationally ranked teams. In the first match of the day, Viterbo lost 0-3 (22-25, 20-25, 18-25) to Saint Xavier University (Ill.), who was ranked #13 in the most recent NAIA Top 15 Coaches' Poll. In the neutral game, Saint Xavier topped #11 ranked University of Jamestown (ND) 3-2 (27-25, 25-20, 24-26, 24-26, 20-18). In the final match, Jamestown bested Viterbo 0-3 (19-25, 17-25, 16-25). At the end of the Day, the V-Hawks are now 5-13, the Cougars are 12-3, and the Jimmies are 12-2.

The teams started of trading points at the beginning of the first set, tying at 6-6 and 8-8 with kills from Juan Banda and multiple errors by the Cougars. Viterbo and Saint Xavier continued to trade points with the Cougars gaining a slight lead 19-21 with Jan Lopuch contributing two kills, forcing Viterbo to take a timeout. Jacob Nonn helped the V-Hawks come back to tie the game again at 21-21 adding a kill and a service ace. The Cougars regain their lead with a kill by Vejas Cuplinskas and two errors by the V-Hawks ended set one 22-25.

The Cougars got on a 9-5 lead to begin set two with Cuplinskas adding two kills. Viterbo answered with a four point stretch coming within one point of the Cougars before a kill from Cuplinskas helped Saint Xavier stretch their lead to 14-18. The teams rallied before a kill by Alex Kratzenstein and a service ace by Banda helped tightened the gap to 20-22. A service ace by Drew Ehlers allowed the Cougars to take set two 20-25.

Set three started off with the teams rallying to tie the score at 8-8 with two kills by Banda. Saint Xavier was able to stretch their lead to 11-16 with Cuplinskas contributing three kills and two errors by the V-Hawks. The Cougars went on a four point stretch to a 13-21 lead with two kills added by Lopuch and a service ace by Andres Velez. Saint Xavier takes set three with Sean Carey contributing a kill, 18-25.

Nonn led the V-Hawks with 10 kills followed by Banda with 9 kills and 5 digs. Jaden Wiest contributed 12 assists. Logan Amdur added 5 digs and 9 assists.

Cuplinskas led the Cougars with 17 kills followed by Lopuch with 9 kills and 7 digs. Jason Klein added 40 assists and 5 digs. John Glennon contributed 5 block assists.

In the nightcap against #11 University of Jamestown, Nonn would record multiple early kills, but the Jimmies would pull away for a 6-11 lead. Garran Wilming and A. Kratzenstein's kills would not do much to slow UJ's momentum, but Amdur's ace would help start a run that brought the match within three, 18-21. Jamestown would put it away after that, winning 25-19.

Jamestown continued their momentum in the second set, scoring six out of the first eight points. Down 2-6, Nonn and Joe Todd each contributed a kill, bringing the set back to a two-point margin. The teams continued to trade points, until a kill by Jamestown's Downey Huynh set them off on a five-point streak. Jamestown errors and kills by Nonn and Caleb Koza helped keep the V-hawks on the board, but were not enough to win the set. A final Jimmies kill brought the set to a 17-25 close.

Beginning much like the second, Jamestown scored eight of the first ten points of the third set. A kill from Alex Kratzenstein brought the score to 3-8, but the Jimmies' momentum continued. The V-Hawks began to come back off of kills from Todd, Amdur, A. Kratzenstein, Koza, and Nonn, but it was not enough to come out on top. The final set concluded with a score of 16-25, resulting in the V-Hawks losing the game 0-3.

Nonn led the V-Hawks in kills, contributing 11, while A. Kratzenstein contributed 6. Amdur added 19 assists.

Jamestown's Oguzhan Oguz, Downey Huynh, and Caylor Cox each landed 10 kills, and Derek Correa led in assists, contributing 33.

The V-Hawks will return to action on Monday, March 6^th as they take on Maranatha Baptist on the road at 7:00 PM.