V-Hawks Sweep Comets at Home

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Volleyball team, ranked #6 in the most recent NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll, swept Mayville State University (ND) at home in a North Star Athletic Association battle on Thursday evening. The V-Hawks improve to 19-3 (6-0 NSAA), while the Comets fall to 11-6 (2-3 NSAA).

Mayville took the early lead in the opening set, going up 3-0, and after two blocks from Jada Mitchell, one with Kenzie Winker and one from Grace Peyron, building their lead to 12-9. Grace Rohde started a run that included a Maddie Connor Service ace, to take the 14-12 lead. Viterbo ended the set on an 11-5 run, with an ace from Winker, a Rohde-Mitchell block, and a Martina McGrath kill.

The Comets took another early lead in the second, getting up 12-7 and prompting the V-Hawks to call a timeout. Attack errors by MSU and kills from Rohde helped the V-Hawks fight back, and after Mitchell and Winker each recorded solo blocks, the match would be tied at 14-14. Winker led the offense as teams traded points, and Rohde had the final three clutch kills for the win.

The V-Hawks would be the ones to take the early lead in the third set, going up 5-2, but the Comets would battle back to take yet another lead, 12-10. Despite kills from McGrath and Peyron, the Comets still let 19-17 late. That's when Rohde and Mitchell took over, trading kills late and lead the V-Hawks to a 20-20 victory.

Rohde led all players with 16 kills while hitting .295, and added 10 digs for a double-double. Winker recorded 10 kills, Connor had 16 assists, and Cailie Kowal was just behind her with 15. Kenidi McCabe led the team with 21 digs, and Mitchell had four blocks. Abby Cox and Nicole Kortan each had eight kills for the Comets, Elora Passa had a game-high 18 assists, and Natalie Nadrava led all players with 22 digs.

The V-Hawks return to action on Wednesday, October 11 as they travel to Waldorf university (Iowa).