Viterbo Athletics
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – The Viterbo University Women’s Volleyball team won their first two games of the tournament hosted at the United Sports Academy on Friday. The V-Hawks defeated (RV) Columbia College 3-2 (22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20, 16-14), and the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-15). The victory against Saint Francis marked Ryan DeLong’s 500th career win as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Viterbo.
Coach DeLong, in his 17th season, has built up quite an impressive resume during his time at Viterbo. A six-time conference Coach of the Year (2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019), DeLong started the season with a record of 490-179 (.732) and has received votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Top-25 Poll in each of the past ten seasons, including number one rankings in 2015 and 2017. The V-Hawks currently sit at No. 9 in the NAIA. Over the years, DeLong has won seven regular-season conference titles, seven conference tournament titles, and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament eight times. DeLong has coached 27 NAIA All-Americans and 62 First Team All-Conference players. Additionally, he has coached six conference Players of the Year, four Setters of the Year, ten Liberos of the Year, and three Newcomers of the Year.
The V-Hawks started down two close sets against Columbia College but were able to start a comeback thanks to a scoring run in the middle of the third set. Adrianna Reinhart (SR/Caledonia, Minn.) served for five straight points to put the V-Hawks up 18-14. The set ended with a kill by Katie Frohmader (SR/Fort Atkinson, Wis.) to keep the game going after the V-Hawks secured the set three win. Viterbo got the early lead in set four, up 6-1, partly thanks to two early kills from Grace Rohde (SO/Winona, Minn.). Although Columbia fought, the V-Hawks got the 25-20 set four win, making things even with two set wins for each team. Set five was very back and forth until Columbia had the set point at 14-12. However, the V-Hawks were able to hold them at 14 for four straight points, with two kills from Maya Roberts (SR/Watertown, Wis.), a kill from Katie Frohmader, and the final point coming from a block by Roberts and Mariah Calkins (SR/Sun Prairie, Wis.).
Four V-Hawks had double-digit kills, starting with Frohmader at 16, Kenzie Winker (JR/Holmen, Wis.) at 15, Roberts at 14, and Miah Garant (SR/Fort Atkinson, Wis.) with 11. Abbey Johnson (JR/Brodhead, Wis.) ended the game with 36 assists and Reinhart had 21 digs.
The Saint Francis match was a bit more one-sided, favoring the V-Hawks. Viterbo was strong on offense, ending the game with 37 total kills, only nine errors, and an overall hitting percentage of .368. Roberts ended with 11 kills and Rohde contributed seven. Johnson had 18 assists, while Lauryn Sobasky (SR/Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) had 12 of her own. Both Kenidi McCabe (FR/Decorah, Iowa) and Johnson added two service aces to the contest.
The V-Hawks (10-1) will play No. 4 Park University tomorrow morning at 11:00 am CST. They will also face No. 23 College of Saint Mary at 5:00 pm. Follow the action on our website or by following us on social media.