V-Hawks Claim NSAA Tournament Title

WATERTOWN, SD – The Viterbo University Women's Volleyball team, ranked #5 in the most recent NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll, defeated #18 Bellevue University (Neb.) in the Championship Match of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-22). The top seeded V-Hawks beat the third-seeded Bruins for their ninth straight NSAA Conference Tournament Championship, earning an automatic bid into the NAIA National Championship Tournament. The V-Hawks now hold a 30-4 record on the year, while the Bruins fall to 24-9.

Grace Rohde scored three of the V-Hawks first four points on a kills, ace, and Jada Mitchell-assisted block. The teams traded points from there, exchanging eight ties before two straight kills and another Rohde ace put Viterbo up 14-11. Winker combined with Martina McGrath for another block for a five point lead, and McGrath made it 22-15 with another kill. Bellevue scored five straight, but the rally was too late as McGrath and Sadie Treptow combined for a block and Mia Quist ended the set with an ace, 25-20.

Two Winker kills and a Kenidi McCabe ace fueled an early run by Viterbo in the second, and Rohde brought the score to 9-7. Winker and McGrath's block brought the score to 13-10, but after a Rohde kill, the Bruins put together a run for the 19-17 lead. Cailie Kowal ended the run, and Bellevue errors helped Viterbo come back, before McGrath and Winker's block ended the set, 25-22.

Michell's kills and Marissa-Kleman assisted block helped the V-Hawks jump out to an 8-3 lead in the third. Rohde paced the V-Hawks scoring with kills, and a Mitchell-assisted block, and Winker made the score 17-12. Haley Fleischman sparked a 4-0 run, and while Rohde's kills stopped it, BU managed to take the lead, 20-19. After a Bellevue error tied the match, Jada smashed two kills, and combined with Treptow for a block and 24-22 lead. Maddie Connor's kill completed the V-Hawk sweep.

Winker led the V-Hawks with a 15-kill, 14-dig double-double, and Grace recorded one as well with 10 kills and 11 digs. Connor had 18 assists, Kowal added 15, and McCabe led all players with 18 digs. McGrath posted nine total blocks. Fleischman had 11 kills for Bellevue.

Viterbo will play on Saturday, November 18 in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament. The pairings and match locations will be announced on Monday, November 13 at 2 PM on the NAIA YouTube Channel.