LA CROSSE, Wis. – Although the Viterbo University volleyball team had won seven in a row over UW-La Crosse heading into Wednesday night's contest, the V-Hawks knew the Eagles would be no easy out. UW-La Crosse put up quite a fight, but Viterbo prevailed 3-1 to improve to 11-0, the program's best start in school history.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The V-Hawks opened the match on a 7-1 run and held UW-La Crosse to a hitting percentage of .026 as they pulled away for a 25-17 win.
-In the second, the teams were tied at 14-14 before Emilee Wiersma (JR/Waupun, Wis.) and Siera Skow (SO/Hartford, Wis.) gave the V-Hawks some breathing room with a pair of kills, making it 16-14. The lead stretched to three at 20-17 and Viterbo grabbed a 2-0 lead in the match as a pair of Eagles' errors ended it.
-Looking for their eighth straight win, the V-Hawks were ready for a sweep, but the visiting Eagles had another idea. The teams battled to 13 ties at the 25-25 mark and were far from done. Every time one pulled ahead, the other responded.
-At the 30-30 mark, the Eagles' landed a kill which was matched by Natalie Geidel (SO/West Bend, Wis.) for a 31 all tie. UW-La Crosse's Leah Putzier recorded another kill and the Eagles cut their match deficit in half with a third set victory.
-Despite the setback, Viterbo came out hot in the fourth set and hit .344 with 14 kills compared to -.024 hitting percentage for UW-La Crosse.
-Up 18-11 in the fourth, the V-Hawks rattled off five straight points and finished the set with a Siera Skow kill and another Eagles' error.
-With the win, the V-Hawks claimed the Coulee Cup for the seventh straight year.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-The Viterbo defense was unconscious, digging up everything. Jennifer Krentz (SR/Watertown, Minn.) tallied 32 digs in the back row while Amelia Grahn (SO/Madison, Wis.) and Jess Jerde (SR/Chaska, Minn.) each chipped in 11.
-Three V-Hawks reached double digit kills led by Geidel's 15. Skow registered 12 and eight digs while Wiersma had 10 and five assisted blocks.
-Grahn registered her fifth double-double of the year with 39 assists and 11 digs.
-Joining in the defense was Baylee Gross (SO/West Bend, Wis.) who dug up seven balls and four from Sara Biermaier (JR/Woodbury, Minn.).
UP NEXT FOR VITERBO
The V-Hawks head to Iowa for two matches this weekend. Viterbo will face Morningside College on Friday evening before taking on No. 11 Northwestern College in the NAIA Match of the Week. Live links can be found on www.viterboathletics.com.