MAYVILLE , N.D (vcsuvikings.com) – The Valley City State volleyball team dropped a hard-fought battle to Mayville State in the NSAA Quarterfinals Tuesday, 23-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20.
The Vikings outhit the Comets Tuesday, recording 61 kills on .163 hitting to Mayville’s 57 kills on .159 hitting. The Vikings also recorded five service aces and 7.5 blocks on the night, but it wasn’t enough to down the Comets, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll.
Valley City State finishes its season with a 4-20 overall record and finished seventh in the conference with a 3-11 record. Mayville State continues its campaign with a 23-9 record and finished second in the conference with an 11-3 conference record. The Comets will host No. 3 Viterbo University on Tuesday, April 6.
Valley City State came to battle Tuesday night, never trailing throughout the first set. As a part of a 6-1 Viking rally, three kills from Maara Nelson helped the Vikings to an 18-11 lead. Mayville State later closed the gap to 21-20 on a 6-1 run of its own. From there, the two traded points and a kill from Clara Wieland finished the first set 25-23 in favor of the Vikings.
The Vikings overcame a seven-point deficit in the second set, including three assisted blocks from Macey Kvilvang, Bailey Nelson, and Clara Wieland, to trail 22-21. With the Comets up to set point at 24-22, back-to-back kills from Bailey Nelson kept the Vikings alive. The Comets capitalized on a Viking error with a kill from Kaitlin Leier to take the second set 28-26.
Valley City State had its best attack effort in set three, hitting .224 and tallying 18 kills, but the Comets edged the Vikings with a .309 attack effort and tallying 19 kills in the set. The two NSAA teams tallied 12 ties throughout the third set but the Comets narrowly took set three 25-23.
The fourth set found the teams battling again, holding a tie at 17-17 when the Comets scored three straight points and promted a VCSU timeout. The Vikings inched closer, but a Victoria Johnson kill finished the set for the Comets, 25-20.
Bailey Nelson and Maara Nelson each tallied a team-high 14 kills Tuesday, while Maara Nelson chipped in 12 kills and Macey Kvilvang recorded 11. Jakenda Short finished with 30 set assists and Kallene Klever contributed 21 assists.
On the defensive side, libero Dani Schwanke led the way with a career-high 41 digs. Juarez added 30 digs for the Vikings and M. Nelson finished with 27. Macey Kvilvang also tallied four blocks (two solo) while Clara Wieland and Caitlyn Fischbach each recorded three blocks for VCSU.
Mayville State’s Victoria Johnson finished with 18 kills and five blocks, while Ashley Pyburn finished with 12 kills and Lily Pyle added 11 kills.
Elora Passa tallied 32 set assists and Rachel Hill finished with 15 assits for the Comets. Mason Hart recorded a game-high 51 digs Tuesday.