V-Hawks Sweep Sabercats

WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team defeated Maranatha Baptist University, 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-18) in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday night. The V-Hawks improve to 6-1 on the year, while the Sabercats fall to 0-15.

SJ Nelson started the match with a kill, while a Max Dugan ace and Guven Gedikoglu kill brought the score to 7-5. After the Sabercats look a lead, a Garran Wilming kill and two Daxton Marschall aces gave the advantage back to Viterbo, 18-13. Nelson then recorded four late kills as the V-Hawks took the first, 25-19.

Justin Kratzenstein scored three straight points early in the second, two kills and a Noah Diedrich-assisted block, for Viterbo to go up, 9-3. Avery Hackler then put down three kills as a part of a run that also saw a Caleb Koza kill and Nelson ace and resulted in a V-Hawk 19-8 lead. MBU battled back, but it came too late as a Vincent Troung and Nelson kill ended the set, 25-19.

Nelson and Diedrich's kills fueled the V-Hawks early in the third, as well as Maranatha errors and a Wilming kill. The V-Hawks jumped out to a nine-point lead, and Hackler and Nelson helped keep the advantage in place. Ethan Davis had the final VU kill among Maranatha errors for the 25-18 win.

Nelson led the V-Hawks with 15 kills on .321 hitting, Logan Amdur dished 28 assists, and Dugan recorded 13 digs. Tyler Lacock had eight kills for MBU.

The V-Hawks return to action on Thursday, February 22 as they host Edgewood College.