Winker Reaches 1,500 Kills as V-Hawks Split Top-10 Matchups

FREMONT, Neb. – The Viterbo University Women's Volleyball team, ranked #7 in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll, split a pair of top 10 matchups at the Midland University (Neb.) Showdown on Friday. The V-Hawks started the day with a 3-2 win (25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 18-25, 15-13) over defending national runner-up #2 Corban (Ore.), but dropped the nightcap 0-3 (20-25, 22-25, 19-25) to #8 Missouri Baptist. The V-Hawks now sit at 6-1 on the year, the Warriors are 5-2, and the Spartans are 8-2.

Kenzie Winker would set up Maddie Connor for the first kill in the opening set, then put down a pair of kills herself to start the V-Hawks off with a 6-3 lead. Connor would combine with Martina McGrath for a block and Grace Rohde had a pair of kills to bring the score to 11-8, but a 6-1 run fueled by Rylee Troutman gave Corban a 12-14 lead. The teams would trade points and ties until, tied at 23-23, McGrath put down a kill, and a block assisted by Rohde for the 25-23 win.

The second set would start just as close, with six ties by the time the score reached 11-11. Winker and Rodhe would pace Viterbo's offense, and Riley Angst came in for an ace, tying the set at 17-17. A pair of V-Hawk errors helped the Warriors tie the game at 22-22, but Winker's kill prompted a CU timeout, and McGrath would produce another clutch block, this time assisted by Grace Peyron. A final Corban error ended the set 25-22.

Rohde would score the first five points for the V-Hawks in the third set on three kills and two service aces, but the Warriors would still build a 9-11 lead. Troutman led Corban's offense to a 12-17 lead, but a 5-1 run led by Winker and Jada Mitchell brought the game back within one, 18-19. However, Viterbo would get no closer, and the Warriors ended the third, 25-21.

Corban would take the early advantage again in the fourth set, despite three kills from McGrath. Mitchell's kills and Peyron-assisted block closed the gap to 10-12, but and Winker would record four straight kills for Viterbo, but the Warriors kept the V-Hawks at arm's length, and evened the match 2-2- on a 18-25 set win.

In the deciding fifth set, Winker tied the score at 5-5 with a kill, then at 7-7 with an ace. Mitchell and Rodhe added kills for the 11-9 lead, and errors by Corban extended the lead. Winker ended the match 15-12 on a kill assisted by Connor.

Winker tied a team-high 18 kills, including her 1,500^th career kill, just the seventh V-Hawk to eclipse the mark. Rodhe also reached 18 kills, and Mitchell (12) and McGrath (10) reached double digits as well. Connor dished out 57 assists, the fifth highest match total in school history. Kenidi McCabe produced a game-high 23 digs, Winker had 12, and 11 for Rohde. McGrath added a team high four blocks.

Troutman put up a game-high 25 kills, Abby Guindy posted 27 assists, and Marissa Uehara recorded 17 digs. Allyson Reid has seven blocks.

Against Missouri Baptist, the Spartans would out-hit the V-Hawks in each set, .406-.200, .324-.128, and .364-.051. In the third set, Viterbo would build am 18-13 lead, but MBU had a huge run the secure the sweep, 25-19.

Rohde led the V-Hawks with 12 kills on .391 hitting, and Winker added 11 kills of her own. Connor had 30 assists and 11 digs. Mitchell had three blocks.

 Tayler Neal and Gabi Jakubowska each had 13 kills for Missouri Baptist, Maiana Coelho recorded a game-high 42 assists, and Liz van Houwelingen, had 14 digs. Sara Klunder had five blocks.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday, August 26 with another top-10 match against Midland University (Neb.).