SAU opens conference play with win over Viterbo
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Viterbo (1-10, 0-1) | 23 | 19 | 25 | 18 | 1 |
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (9-3, 1-0) | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 3 |
St. Ambrose opened conference play with a 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18 win over Viterbo Friday night in Lee Lohman Arena.
The victory, SAU's fourth in a row, moved the team to 9-3 overall and 1-0 in the CCAC.
The Bees got off to a fast start before nearly letting the opening set slip away.
Up 22-17 following a Michael Bos kill, the Bees watched the V-Hawks rip off a run of five straight points to draw even at 22-22. After an exchange of points, Zander Larson put down a kill to earn a set point, and Pedro Zang and Charlie Flynn teamed for a block to close out the win.
The second set wasn't nearly as stressful.
Two kills from Jon Guch and a block from Carter Zelnis and Kainalu Ka'ahanui came during a five-point run that opened an 11-5 lead. SAU was never seriously threatened from there.
After letting off the gas and giving up the third set, St. Ambrose used a pair of Zang kills and one from Bos, along with a Kam Dixon ace, to build a 9-1 lead to start the fourth. Viterbo (1-10, 0-1 CCAC) got to within 15-12 but a serving error and a Dixon kill, re-established a 17-12 lead. The Bees maintained at least a four-point lead the rest of the way.
Zang led all players with 11 kills. Bos joined him in double figures with 10 kills. Guch and Ka'ahanui each had six and Dixon finished with five. Flynn, Larson and Ian Cordes ended with three kills apiece.
Anthony Anderson was credited with 22 assists, Matt Cannon had 11 and Felipe Prieto finished with 10.
Ethan Karban picked up 20 digs. Anderson collected nine.
Dixon had three of the Bees' six aces.
SAU will play in the SXU Tri-Match Saturday by taking on No. 2 Saint Xavier and Cornerstone.