FORT WAYNE, INDIANA – The No. 3-ranked Grand View men's volleyball team traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to compete in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) and Heart of America (HOA) crossover tournament. The Vikings faced a tough opening match against Lawrence Tech, where a competitive third set and a strong effort from the Blue Devils handed Grand View its first loss of the season, 3-0 (set scores: 30-28, 25-23, 25-18). Determined to bounce back, Grand View showcased its resilience on Saturday afternoon with a commanding performance against No. 15 Indiana Tech University. The Vikings swept the Warriors in straight sets, earning a 3-0 victory (set scores: 25-20, 25-17, 25-23) and closing the tournament on a strong note.
 
GAME ONE VERSUS #9 LAWRENCE TECH  
In their opening match of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference and Heart of America crossover tournament, the No. 3-ranked Grand View men's volleyball team fell to Lawrence Tech in a tightly contested 3-0 match (30-28, 25-23, 25-18). Despite leading in total kills (42-41) and hitting percentage (.292 to .283) overall, the Vikings were unable to capitalize on key moments. Grand View started strong in the first two sets, hitting .353 and .267, respectively, but Lawrence Tech's consistency, highlighted by a stellar .542 hitting percentage in the third set, secured the win.

Despite the loss to Lawrence Tech, several Grand View players delivered notable performances. Daniel Galili led the Vikings with an impressive 15 kills on 28 attempts, hitting .429 while adding 10 digs and a service ace to earn a team-high 16 points. Ryan Griffel also stood out with 14 kills on 29 attempts, hitting .310 and contributing two service aces for a total of 17 points. Setter Rafael Obrusnik orchestrated the offense with 38 assists and added three digs. Leonardo Annichini chipped in with nine kills, hitting .211, while providing solid defensive support with four digs.

The decisive factor in the match was Grand View's struggle with errors, particularly at the service line. The Vikings committed 16 service errors compared to Lawrence Tech's 9, which proved costly in key moments and ultimately shifted the momentum in favor of the Blue Devils.

GAME ONE VERSUS #15 INDIANA TECH
In their second match of the WHAC and HOA crossover tournament, the No. 3-ranked Grand View men's volleyball team bounced back with a dominant 3-0 victory over No. 15 Indiana Tech (set scores: 25-20, 25-17, 25-23). The Vikings controlled the match from start to finish, leading in every statistical category. Grand View's offense was efficient, tallying 39 kills and hitting .231 while limiting Indiana Tech to just 25 kills and a .114 hitting percentage.

The Vikings set the tone early in the first set with a .235 hitting percentage and continued their dominance in the second, holding Indiana Tech to a negative hitting percentage (-.091). In the third set, Grand View sealed the sweep with a strong .294 hitting percentage. The Vikings' ability to minimize errors and capitalize on opportunities was key to their commanding performance.

Grand View's victory over Indiana Tech featured several standout performances that fueled their dominant sweep. Daniel Galili led the way with 13 kills on 27 attempts, hitting .296 while adding an impressive six service aces and five digs to finish with a match-high 19.5 points. Rafael Obrusnik directed the offense with 33 assists while also contributing seven digs and a service ace. Leonardo Annichini and Ryan Griffel provided strong offensive support with 11 and 7 kills, respectively, each hitting .200, while Griffel added two service aces. André Lucas Alves Leandro also made an impact with five kills on a .273 hitting percentage and five digs.

UP NEXT
Grand View will prepare for the start of Heart of America Conference play by traveling to Dubuque, IA, on Tuesday, February 11th, for a 7:00 p.m. match.