V-Hawks are Conference Champions

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- The V-Hawks hosted the Cougars of Saint Xavier on Saturday for an exciting day of CCAC Volleyball. Through the match, the V-Hawks came out victorious, claiming the 3-1 victory and the CCAC Conference Tournament Championship. With their win, the V-Hawks improve to a 27-6 overall record. The Cougars fall to 18-10 overall. Both the V-Hawks and the Cougars will advance to the NAIA National Opening Round on Saturday, November 22nd. 

The V-Hawks were led on Saturday by Sadie Treptow's 13 kills and 0.387 hitting percentage. Maddie Connor set a season-high 30 assists this Saturday, and defensively, Resse Germann added 29 digs in the back court. In the front court, Jada Mitchell added seven blocks for the defense. Jaden Polovina and Maddie Connor led the way with aces, each adding three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The V-Hawks came out flat in the first set, going down against the Cougars 6-3 early on. The V-Hawks continued to struggle up, falling 12-8 in the middle of the set. A 4-0 run by the V-Hawks with kills from Hailee Halverson and MaKena Ihle gave the V-Hawks a 12-12 tie. The two teams continued to go back and forth on a series of runs. Back to back aces from Jaden Polovina put the V-Hawks up 18-16, but the Cougars responded with a 6-0 run. The V-Hawks continued fighting, but they fell on a kill from the Cougars to go down 25-22. 
• Maddie Connor scored the first point of set two on an ace. The V-Hawks went down early again, falling 12-7 early on to the Cougars. The V-Hawks earned a momentum-swinging 6-0 run, and they took the lead back at 15-13. The V-Hawks went up 18-14 later in the set, but the Cougars responded, tying the set at 19-19. There were several ties up to the finish line, but the V-Hawks closed set two on a 3-0 run with two kills and a block from Jada Mitchell. 
• Jada Mitchell got the early kill for the V-Hawks in set three. The set started off with eight ties, going back and forth for the entire beginning of the set. The V-Hawks were able to pull away with an ace from Izzy Jahr and a kill by Hailee Halverson to take the 14-10 lead. The V-Hawks continued to fight, holding their lead at 21-17 and extending it on a Jaden Polovina ace at 22-17. The V-Hawks won set two 25-22 on a kill from Jada Mitchell. 
• The V-Hawks went up early in set four, taking the 9-5 lead. The Cougars fought back to a 10-10 tie, but the V-Hawks repsonded with a 7-1 run with an ace from Mikaela Marquardt. The V-Hawks continued their momentum through the set, and they came up victorious at the end on a kill from MaKena Ihle and a block from Hailee Halverson and Jalen Hinzman to win the set, and the match 25-14. 

UP NEXT

The V-Hawks will compete in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. Opponent is to be announced at the NAIA Selection Show on Monday, November 17th at 4pm.