Viterbo Wins Fourth Straight Conference Tournament

WATERTOWN, S.D. – The Viterbo University Women's Volleyball team, ranked #9 in the most recent NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll, defeated Bellevue (Neb.,), ranked #14, in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Conference Tournament Championship Game 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23). The V-Hawks improve to 28-7, while the Bruins fall to 26-7.

Viterbo was the No. 1 seed in the tournament, and Bellevue was the No. 2 seed. The Two teams shared the regular season title after splitting their two matchups. This is Viterbo's fourth consecutive Conference Tournament Championship.  The two teams also each had four First-Team All-Conference performers and a Second-Team performer.

Bellevue took a slight advantage early in the opening set, getting up 4-1, and staying up 96- until Jada Mitchell's kill sparked a 5-0 run that included a Grace Rohde kill, and a Martina McGrath-Mariah Calkins block to take an 11-9 lead. Kenidi McCabe recorded an ace, and Kenzie winker put down multiple kills to put the V-Hawks up 19-12, and Mitchell's kill extended that to 21-15. The Bruins would begin to rally, bringing the score to 24-23 on a kill by Allie Kerns, but Viterbo would secure the win on a Grace Rohde kill.

The second set would stay close all the way through, with Bellevue's 6-3 lead matching the largest of the of the set by either team. Winker and Mitchell's block tied the game at 6-6, and after alternating points, Winkers kill finally gave Viterbo the lead 13-12. Jacki Apel gave the lead back to Bellevue, but after a Mitchell-Rohde block and a Maddie Connor ace, Viterbo took the lead 17-15 and would not cede it for the rest of the set. Although the Bruins would close the game to one point, Winker's kills gave Viterbo the win.

Early errors by the V-Hawks in the third set gave Bellevue a 1-6 lead, though big blocks from Mitchell, McGrath, and Calkins kept Viterbo close. Marissa Kleman's kill closed the deficit to 13-14, but a 7-1 run from Bellevue but them up 14-21 and Viterbo errors gave the set to the Bruins.

Three consecutive blocks from Viterbo's front row (Mitchell, Kleman, and Winker) helped them built a strong 9-1 to start he fourth set. The Bruins fought back with kills from Sierra Athen and Nicole Meyer and although Mitchell gave the V-Hawks a17-13 lead, Bellevue responded with a 6-0 run. Mitchell and Winker recorded kills to take back the lead, followed by consecutive blocks by Rohde and Mitchell to go up 22-20. Mitchell put down another kill, and Maddie Connor's ace brought the game to match points. After scoring two points, Bellevue served out of bounds, and the V-Hawks claimed the Championship.

Winker led all players with 18 kills, while Mitchell added 15 on .250 hitting. Lauryn Sobasky recorded a double-double with 21 assists and 12 digs and Cailie Kowal also had 21 assists. Adrianna Reinhart's 25 digs led the game, while reached McCabe's 19, and Mitchell had a game-high eight blocks.

Apel led the Bruins with 13 kills and seven blocks, Olivia Galas posted 42 assists, and Raeanne Kimoto had 22 digs.

With the win, Viterbo claimed the NSAA's automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament. The NAIA selection show is set for Monday morning, and Viterbo could host an opening round match. That game would be on Saturday, November 19.