LA CROSSE, Wis. Vitterboathletics.com – Viterbo Women’s Volleyball has never lost a match to Valley City State University or even dropped a set to the Vikings in 10 games all-time. Both streaks continued as Viterbo swept Valley City State, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17, at R.W. Beggs Senior Gymnasium. Viterbo has won a school-record 51 consecutive conference regular season games. Viterbo improved to 17-3 overall and 5-0 in North Star Athletic Association play. Valley City State fell to an overall record of 8-10 and 2-3 in conference play.
Viterbo led by one point early in the opening set, but a 9-3 run on four Viking errors gave the V-Hawks an eight-point advantage. Valley City State cut the lead to four, but Viterbo scored five of their final six points on kills to close out the set, 25-19.
The V-Hawks held the Vikings to a .095 hitting percentage with six errors in the second set. Viterbo raced out to a 17-6 lead, their largest of the afternoon. The V-Hawks were able to keep the Vikings at arm’s length the rest of the set on five kills from Miah Garant (SO/Fort Atkinson, Wis.). Viterbo won set two, 25-16.
The third set saw Valley City State’s only lead of the match. After keeping it close through the first 14 points (combined), the Vikings went on an 8-3 run to take a two-point lead. The advantage did not last long as the V-Hawks countered with a 7-1 run of their own. Viterbo ended the match on four kills and a service ace to close out the third set, 25-17.
Garant led the way with 10 kills on a season-low one error (.429 hit %). Aubrey Aspen (SR/Sparta, Wis.) and Lydia Xu (SO/Shanghai, China) followed her with nine and eight kills, respectively.
Lauryn Sobasky (SO/Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) finished with 18 assists along with 12 from Chloe Jakscht (JR/East Troy, Wis.). Rachel Frankowski (JR/Menomonee Falls, Wis.) totaled 12 digs in the match.
Setting errors played a significant role in the game. Both teams combined for 15 called setting errors, nine of which were on Valley City State.
Viterbo limited their attacking errors to 14 in the game, their eighth game this season with less than 15 errors.
