V-Hawks Leave Arizona Without a Win

MESA, Ariz. – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team suffered three losses on a trip to Arizona this week. The V-Hawks fell 0-3 (21-25, 23-25, 24-26) to Park-Gilbert University (Ariz.), 0-3 (14—25, 17-25, 23-25) to Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.), and 1-3 (25-18, 20-25, 25-27, 22-25) to Ottawa University-Arizona. Viterbo now holds a 7-17 (4-7 CCAC) record.

Against Park-Gilbert, Kou Her and Caleb Koza had early kills for Viterbo, before an 0-8 run gave PGU a 5-12 lead. Alex Kratzenstein had a solo block and a block assists with Koza to help Viterbo start to gain momentum. Joe Todd's solo block and kill started a run that included a Jacob Nonn ace and Juan Banda kills that gave VU the 20-19 lead. However, late errors by the V-Hawks gave Park-Gilbert the win, 21-25.

Banda started the second with a set and Koza-assisted block to put Viterbo up 3-0, and Her and Todd each had aces to extend that lead to 12-8. The teams traded runs, with Viterbo being led by Nonn kills, set up by Logan Amdur, and Koza blocks, assisted by Kratzenstein. The Buccaneers would have the final push again, winning 23-25.

The third set was back-and-forth from the very start, with nine ties by the time the match reached 12-12. The V-Hawks offense was led by Nonn, Todd, and Her's kills, and Justin Kratzenstein added a block of his own, assisted by Amdur. Amdur then added a solo block, and Nonn tied the set at 20-20. Her recorded an ace, and Nonn had a pair of late kills to tie yet again at 24-24, but PGU scored the final two points for the sweep.

Nonn led all players with 17 kills on .324 hitting, Amdur had 30 assists, Banda was the only player with double digs at 12, and Koza posted a game- and career-high six blocks. Ben Turcinec had 16 kills and five digs for the Buccaneers.

In the opening set against Benedictine Mesa, Nonn and Todd recorded kills to start up 3-0, and Nonn continued to lead the offense. However, an 0-9 run gave the Redhawks a commanding lead, and despite late eoors and a Nonn kilol, BMU won 25-14.

Benedictine continued the momentum into the second set, going up 5-15. Todd would record a pair of kills to jump start the V-Hawks offense, and Nonn  and Koza would follow. The rally would come too late, however, and despite Amdur's late kill, the Redhawks would win 17-25.

Daxton Marschall's ace helped give Viterbo an early lead in the third, and after a few errors, J. Kratzenstein tied the game 7-7. When Benedictine began to pull away, Nonn kept the V-Hawks close and Todd's kills fueled a run that included a Banda ace to give Viterbo the 23-21 lead late. But BMU's rally was successful, and they would win 25-23.

Nonn tied the game-high of 10 kills, Amdur posted 24 assists, and Banda had 13 digs. Daxton Tolman had 221 assists for the Redhawks.

The opening set of the final match against Ottawa University-Arizona saw the V-Hawks go up early with help from Marschall's ace and Todd's consecutive kills. After Nonn's kill, errors allowed OUAZ to close the V-Hawk lead to just 16-15, but the Kratzenstein's kills gave Viterbo control back. Banda's ace followed by J. Kratzenstein kills fueled VU's 5-1 run to end the set 25-18.

The Spirit would hold the momentum to start the second set, going up 1-6. Todd's kill ended the run, and Nonn's ace followed by a Todd-J. Kratzenstein block closed the game to 8-9. The teams traded points, with Nonn leading Viterbo's offense, but Ottawa was able to pull away in the end, 20-25.

Viterbo took the early lead again in the third, helped by Koza and Amdur's kills, and Spirit errors. After Banda set Nonn for back-to-back kills, OUAZ started to close in, tying the game at 16-16. Todd's ace and A. Kratzenstein's consecutive solo blocks would not be enough, as OUAZ ended the set on a 2-6 run to claim victory again.

Neither team would be able to take command in the fourth set, seeing eight ties before reaching 11-11. Nonn would start a V-Hawk run that helped them go up 18-14, but the Spirit quickly responded and tied the set yet again. A. Kratzenstein had the final kill for Viterbo, followed by four straight points for OUAZ for the win.

Nonn led the V-Hawks with 22 kills and only one hitting errors, hitting a total of .447. Amdur had 25 assists, and Banda had 13 digs. Addah Nestor recorded 28 kills, and Carson Mott had 49 assists for the Spirit.