LA CROSSE, Wis. – A pair of four-set wins against two nationally ranked opponents yesterday wasn't quite enough for the No. 12-ranked Corban University Volleyball team, as the Warriors secured yet another victory in a four-setter with No. 6-ranked Midland University this morning at the Viterbo Volleyball Classic to complete a perfect 3-0 weekend in Wisconsin. Corban volleyball took four-set wins against a trio of historic NAIA programs, including No. 11-ranked Missouri Baptist, No. 5-ranked Viterbo, and the No. 6-ranked Midland team from today's contest.
"Midland is well coached team always finding ways to challenge you throughout the match. I was proud how we played together staying focused the first two sets. In the third, we came out lacking focus and eased up on our serving. I was proud of how we came together to finish strong in the fourth! We are excited to get back home, continuing to work on our game.
The Navy and Gold (4-1) were the only team to go undefeated on day one of the Viterbo Volleyball Classic, while Midland (2-5) was able to upend No. 5-ranked Viterbo in sweeping fashion but dropped a four-setter to No. 11-ranked Missouri Baptist. The consistent success on opening day from Corban provided them with the confidence they needed to jump out to a massive lead in the opener with Midland, where they snagged a 25-15 victory on a .308 attacking clip to take the early advantage.
After trading runs back-and-forth throughout set number two, Midland held set-point at 24-23 and had the opportunity to tie the match overall, yet a kill from junior opposite hitter Makayla Roginski kept Corban's chances alive, and a bad set attempt on the next rally by the Midland setter gave the Navy and Gold a 25-24 advantage and forced the designated visitors to call timeout. Following the stoppage, sophomore outside hitter Kendra Bittle smashed a kill to secure the 2-0 set lead with a 26-24 comeback win.
Having now dropped the opening sets and in "do-or-die" mode, Midland took advantage of some Corban miscues to avoid the sweep, as they jumped out to a 20-15 lead and never looked back to take the set 25-20. The third set was the only period where Corban had a kill percentage below .200, as they committed nine unforced errors with only ten kills, which allowed Midland to keep their lead throughout the set.
However, having now been truly tested and shown that nationally ranked opponents can flip a decision in the blink of an eye, the Warriors' offense came alive and gave the program a 6-1 lead to begin the fourth set, forcing Midland into an early timeout and a gameplan alteration. They would pull to as close as one point at 14-13, but a 7-2 scoring run by Corban provided them with a sizeable lead, and sophomore outside hitter Emma Bischoff tallied the final kill to give the Oregon-based Warriors their third win of the weekend against a nationally ranked foe.
For the first time all season, the Navy and Gold were finally on the positive side of the service ace totals, tallying five on the day compared to just two for Midland. Twelve more total team kills and assists fueled Corban to the four-set victory, with three of the top four kill leaders being represented by Corban.
The sophomore outside hitting duo of Kendra Bittle and Emma Bischoff secured 13 kills apiece, with Bischoff earning her third-straight double-double thanks to ten digs in the backcourt while adding a game-high four service aces. Roginski finished right behind Bittle and Bischoff with 12 kills and a pair of block assists.
Sophomore setter Nadeiah Howard led the offense with 24 assists, followed closely by junior setter Abby Guindy who had 23 dimes and nine digs. Defensively, senior libero Marissa Uehara led the way for Corban with a game-high 17 digs, while senior middle blocker Allyson Reid added to her career block record with five more this morning.
Midland's most consistent offensive presence came from outside hitter Brooklynn Snyder, who pelted a game-best 17 kills with only six errors. Setter Brena Mackling secured the game-high mark in assist with 25, nine digs, and the team's only two service aces, while libero Delanie Vallinch hauled in 13 digs.
Warrior Nation will have their first opportunity to see the Corban Volleyball team in action at the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center since their season-opening scrimmages this upcoming Friday, August 30th, as they'll host NCAA DII Western Oregon University in an exhibition matchup at 7pm.
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