V-Hawks Collect Two Wins at Clarke

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team collected a pair of victories this weekend at a tri-match at Clarke University. They started the day with a 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-18, 25-18) win over Clarke (Iowa), followed by another 3-1 (27-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-19) win over Roosevelt (Ill.). The V-Hawks now hold a 4-2 record.

The V-Hawks scored the first two point of the first set of the day on kills from Alex Kratzenstein and SJ Nelson. Nelson then recorded a solo block, followed by Pride errors and Guven Gedikoglu kills leading to a slight V-Hawk lead, 15-14. Dane Kerkman's kill and a Kratzenstein-Caleb Koza block fueled a run as VU went up, 22-17, and after a small CU run, a Nelson kill and Clarke error gave Viterbo the win, 25-21.

The Pride took an early lead in the second. 7-11 despite two kills and a solo block from Gedikoglu. Gedikoglu continued to lead the scoring with a service ace, and blocks assisted by Kerman and Kratzenstein, and while Nelson added a late block, CU took the second 25-20.

While Clarke took another early lead in the third, 8-4, Kerkman and Logan Amdur combined for a block that started a run capped by a Nelson kill to tie the match, then Juan Banda recorded back-to-back aces as VU took a 16-12 lead. Amdur and Kerkman provided kills as the V-Hawks stayed in control, and two Prode errors ended the set, 25-18 in Viterbo's favor.

After falling behind 6-8 in the fourth, Kratzenstein had two consecutive kills, Kerman aced two straight serves, and Gedikogluput down a solo block leading to a 13-9 VU lead. The Priode recorded a variety of errors to help keep Viterbo in the lead, until a Daxton Marschall and two Gedikoglu kills capped the 25-18 win.

Gedikoglu led all players with 14 kills, while Nelson added 11. Amdur dished 33 assists, Banda had 10 digs, and Gedikoglu posted four blocks. Daniel Bedoya had 11 kills for the Pride and Stephen Lewandowski recorded six blocks.

Nelson and Max Dugan recorded early kills in the first set of the match against Roosevelt, and the teams traded points until the Lakers went up 7-10. Errors from RU helped keep the match close before a Dugan ace and Kratzenstein kill, and Nelson led the V-Hawks late with three kills and a Justin Kratzenstein-assisted block. And it would be the errors that doomed the Lakers, Viterbo winning 27-25.

An early 6-0 run from Roosevelt had the Lakers in control, and after VU response with a Kerkman kill and Dugan ace tied the match, Roosevelt exploded for a 9-16 lead. An Ethan Davis kill, Kerkman block, and Banda ace helped chip away at the lead, but it wasn't enough as RU won 25-20.

The beginning of the third set was highlighted by an ace from Noah Diedruch and two from Amdur, as well as a Gedikoglu solo block. Nelson and Kerman contributed kills, and the Lakers committed multiple errors as Viterbo took the lead, and Amdur set up Nelson and Davis for the set-winning kills.

The Lakers used an early 6-2 run to go up 7-10 in the fourth, but Gedikoglu ended the run with a kill and J. Kratzenstein-assisted block. The V-Hawks then took control on two Kerkman-A. Kratzenstein blocks and a Banda ace, and RU errors had VU leading 21-16. Gedikoglu and Nelson closed the match with a kill apiece, and Banda's ace ended it, 25-19.

Nelson led the V-Hawks with 15 kill on .310 hitting, Amdur had 32 assists, and J. Kratzenstein posted five blocks. Andrea DiPaola had 18 kills for Roosevelt, and Michele Bascape recorded 39 assists.

Viterbo returns to action on Tuesday, February 6 at Mount Mercy University (Iowa).