Twin Losses Against Ranked Teams

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Volleyball team, ranked #5 in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, took on two of three nationally ranked matchups for the weekend. The V-Hawks fell to No. 6 Midland University 0-3 (20-25, 23-25, 12-25) to start the day, followed by a loss to No. 12 Corban University, 1-3 (16-25, 28-30, 16-25, 20-25). The V-Hawks fall to 1-5, while the Warriors rise to 3-1 and the Warriors sit at 2-4.

Izzy Jahr started the match out for the V-Hawks with a kill assisted by Maddie Connor. The Midland Warriors followed the V-Hawks first point of the game with back to back Kills by Abbey Ringler and Lauren Jones. Grace Peyron would have the kill that brought the V-Hawks back into the game tying the set 9-9. The momentum continued in a battle between both teams, but the V-Hawks couldn't best the Warriors, MU taking set one 20-25.

VU would start the second set with a kill from Martina McGrath. The Warriors quickly responded with a four point run until once again McGrath took the attack. From behind the V-Hawks slowly made their comeback bringing the match to 24-22. A service error by the V-Hawks would send MU to the win ending set tow 25-23.

McGrath supplied the first kill of the third set, quickly followed by Connor with another bringing the score 9-4. Jahr's final attack of the game wasn't enough for the V-Hawks, leading to the Warriors victory 13-25.

Halverson led the V-Hawks with 7 kills, while McGrath and Peyron contributed 12 more. Connor supplied 10 assisted while Kowal added 9. McGrath contributed three of Viterbo's six blocks. Abbey Ringler had 10 kills for the Warriors, while Brena Mackling had 21 assists and Delanie Vallinch had 15 digs.

In the first set against Corban University, Viterbo would take a 4-1 lead behind a kill from Casey Frankland assisted by Connor. The V-Hawks would continue on their run with kills from Frankland, Peyron, Jahr. McGrath and Jahr's back to back kills would seal the V-Hawk's taking the first set 25-16.

Following an attack error by VU they would take the lead with a kill by Jahr to start the second set. The Warriors would tie up the set 24-24 where Halverson and Connor would battle it out, Treptow would take the final kill of the set for the V-Hawks, losing the set on a Viterbo attack error, 28-30.

The V-Hawks would volley back and forth over the score with CU until the Warriors would pull away on a block from Jadah Schmidtke, and Kylie Davey. Frankland's kill would get the V-Hawks scoring again bringing the score to 12-21. Connor's service ace would be the V-Hawks final point in set three, though it wasn't enough, the Warriors would win 16-25.

Connor's ace would begin the volley for the lead, though Corban would begin to pull away. At 15-7 Jahr and McGrath would have kills that close the gap for the V-Hawks. McCabe's ace  followed by Connor's kill would send the V-Hawks up 20-24, but Kyle Davey would kill the final point for the Warriors with a final score of 20-25 in the fourth and final set.

Jahr and Treptow led the V-Hawks 8 kills each. Connor had 20 assists while Kowal had 11 and McCabe recorded 19 digs. Emma Bischoff 13 kills for the Warriors and Nadeiah Howard led with 20 assists.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday August 24^th taking on Missouri Baptist University.