V-Hawks Claim Two Home Victories

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Volleyball team secured a pair of wins in their home tri-match on Friday, outlasting Roosevelt University (Ill.) in 3-2 (21-5, 25-14, 15-25, 25-19, 15-13), and besting Maranatha Baptist University 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-22. The V-Hawks improve to 8-10 (1-2 CCAC) on the year.

Guven Gedikoglu and SJ Nelson would supply kills early for the V-Hawks, but the Lakers would build a 12-9 lead. Logan Amdur and Dane Kerkman combined for a pair of blocks, but Roosevelt continued to pull away. After then Alex Kratzesntein kill, the teams traded the final 12 points, and RU won, 25-21.

After falling behind early in the second, Max Dugan's kill started a 7-1 run that saw three Gedikoglu kills and an 11-7 lead. Blocks from Kratzensten kept the V-Hawks in control, along with kills form Gedikoglu and Caleb Koza. Kerkman ended the set, 25-14 with a final kill.

The Lakers took the momentum in the third, jumpoing out to a 12-4 lead, then after a Nelson kill, extending it to 16-5. Two more Kratzenstein kills gave Viterbo some life, but it came to late as VU fell, 25-15.

Three straight kills from Gedikoglu helped Viterbo take a 10-5 lead in the fourth, but RU battled back for a 12-11 advantage. Two straight points from Kratzenstein put Viterbo up, and the teams traded leads, Daxton Marschall recorded two consecutive aces. Kerkman aced a serve as the V-Hawks took control late, and won, 25-19.

The Lakers jumped ahead, 6-2 in the deciding set, before Kerkman ended the run, and aced a serve to help Viterbo take the lead. Amdur and Kratzenstein blocked an attack, followed by an Amdur ace, and he helped end the match with a final Kerkman-assisted block.

Gedokoglu led all players with 22 kills on .463 hitting to go with 11 digs, while Kerkman added seven, hitting .500. Amdur dished 41 assists, and Kratzenstein posted eight blocks. Andrea DiPaola had 21 kills for Roosevelt.

Ethan Davis started the match against Maranatha with three early service aces and a kill. Max Dugan and Noah Diedrich each added aces along with a Avery Hackler kill for the 13-6 lead, and Logan Taylor kept the momentum going with a pair of kills. The Sabercats tried to rally, but Marschall aced two served, Davis put down a kill, and Diedrich ended the set with another ace.

Davis stayed hot in the second with an early kill and ace, but MBU took the 10-7 lead. Viterbo responded with a 9-1 run highlighted by four Davis kills and three Amdur aces, then when Davis when back to serve he aced four straight. The set ended, 25-13 after a Diedrich kill and Dugan ace.

The third set started with a Taylor ace and kill, but after a Hackler solo block, Maranatha took a 9-8 lead. Taylor combined with Justin Kratzenstein for a block as VU built a small, two-point advantage, but a 6-2 run for the Sabercats gave them a 20-18 lead. Davis led a return run, and Kratzenstein's ace helped seal the 25-22 win.

Davis led the V-Hawks with 12 kills on .688 hitting, Amdur dished 19 assists, and Dugan led with six aces. Davis also aced eight serves. As the team, the V-Hawks recorded 22 aces.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday, March 2 at St. Ambrose University (Iowa).