Winker Joins 1,000-1,000 Club in Five-Set Thriller

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Volleyball team, ranked #6 in the most recent NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll, lost a five-set thriller to #3 Northwestern College (Iowa), 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 21-25, 26-24, 12-15) on Tuesday night. The V-Hawks fall to 16-3 on the season, while the Red Raiders improve to 14-1.

Viterbo scored four of the first five points of the match, including a Jada Mitchell kill and Maddie Connor ace. Kenzie winker's kills kept the momentum with the V-Hawks, leading 8-4, but a 2-7 run by NWC tied the score at 14-14. The teams then traded points, with Winker and Grace Rohde leading the V-Hawks scoring, but after tying at 19-19, the Red Raiders took over, claiming the 25-20 first set win.

VU would take the lead early in the second set as well, behind a Rohde ace and kills from Mitchell and Martina McGrath. After Northwestern tied the game at 8-8, Viterbo rattled off five straight points with the help of a Mitchell-Sadie Treptow block and NWC errors. Viterbo would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the set, as Winker and McGrath led the offense, and Grace Peyron added a clutch kill late.

Despite a Rohde ace and kills from Winker and Mitchell, Northwestern built a 6-10 lead early. Jazlin De Haan led the Red Raiders offense as they extended their lead to 11-17Mitchell stopped the run, and while the V-Hawks managed a late rally, highlighted by Winker and Rohde kills and a Mitchell-Peyron block, it would come too late and Northwestern won, 25-21

After Viterbo scored the first three points in the fourth from a Mitchel solo block and a Rohde kill, NWC answered with a 1-7 run. McGrath and Winker led the V-Hawks as they battled back to an 11-11 tie. The teams traded points, and blocks, until Northwestern pulled away 15-19. But Winker would start a V-Hawk run that would tie the match as 23-23. Mitchell and Kelman combined for a block, and Winker forced the deciding set, winning 26-24.

The teams traded kills to start the final set as well, with six early ties. McGrath and Mitchell had the early kills for Viterbo, but the Red Raiders still built a 10-14 lead. Mitchell had a late kill and Peyron-assisted block, but De Haan ended the match, 12-15.

Winker led the V-Hawks with 22 kills, and added 12 digs, Mitchell had 13 kills while hitting .375, and Rohde (12) and McGrath (10) each reached double digits as well. Connor had 28 kills, and Cailie Kowal was just behind her with 24. The two both recorded double-double, recording 12 digs and 13 digs, respectively. Kenidi McCabe led with 29 digs. Mitchell also posted nine total blocks.

In the match, Winker became the fourth member of the 1,000 kills-1,000 digs club.

De Haan had 27 kills, and Alysen Dexter added 21 for the red Raiders. Live Retitsma had 37 assists, and Olivia Granstra recorded a game-high 34 digs. Zavyr Metzger also had nine blocks.

The V-Hawks return to action on Thursday, September 28 as they travel to Dickinson State University (ND).