CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – The Vikings traveled to Mount Mercy University on Monday evening for a conference matchup. Despite a competitive effort, Grand View fell in straight sets, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21. The Vikings dropped to 8-6 overall and 7-5 in Heart of America Conference play.
The opening set started with Chris Davis scoring from Guilherme Domdei Goedert to tie the set at 1-1. Andre Lucas Alves Leandro and Cheikh Sou combined for a block to make it 3-4, and Sou delivered a kill from Domdei Goedert to pull Grand View within 6-7.
Davis added a kill from Domdei Goedert to make it 7-9, and Jonathan Rzepa connected on one to make it 9-11. Davis scored from Domdei Goedert to pull within 10-13, and Leandro and Marcus Taylor combined for a block to make it 13-15. Jake Winters added a kill from Domdei Goedert to pull within 14-16, but Mount Mercy finished strong to take the opening set 25-17.
The second set saw Grand View start with momentum. Leandro opened with a kill from Bernardo Luis Marostica to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead, and Davis contributed as Grand View jumped out to a 4-1 advantage.
Leandro and Rzepa combined for a block to make it 5-3, and Davis scored from Joshua Valencia to give the Vikings an 8-6 lead. Rzepa added a kill from Marostica, and Marostica recorded a service ace to push the lead to 10-7.
Winters delivered a kill from Davis to make it 12-10, and Taylor blocked an attack to keep the lead at 16-15. Leandro contributed a solo block to make it 18-16, and Winters scored from Marostica to give Grand View a 19-17 lead. Mount Mercy rallied late, and the Mustangs took the second set 25-21.
The third set started with Leandro scoring from Marostica to pull the Vikings within 1-2. Winters delivered a kill to make it 5-7, but Grand View trailed 10-5 after a timeout. Sou scored from Marostica, and Rzepa added a kill to pull within 8-12.
Pietro Fadanelli and Leandro contributed kills to make it 10-14, and Winters added one to pull the Vikings within 12-15. Winters delivered a kill from Taylor to make it 18-22, and Leandro and Sou combined for a block to pull within 19-22. Sou added a kill from Marostica to make it 21-24, but Mount Mercy closed out the match 25-21.
Despite the loss, Grand View showed resilience throughout the match, battling back in each set against the conference-leading Mustangs.
GAME NOTES
- Andre Lucas Alves Leandro (6 kills, 1 dig, 1 block)
- Bernardo Luis Marostica (12 assists, 1 ace)
- Joshua Valencia (8 digs)
- Jake Winters (7 kills, 4 digs)
UP NEXT
Grand View will compete again on Friday, March 20th. That game will be back at home, starting at 7:00 PM inside Dave Sisam Arena. The Vikings will host the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St.Louis.
