OTTAWA, KANSAS – The Vikings traveled to Ottawa for a Heart of America Conference matchup at the Mabee Center on Monday evening. Grand View swept the Braves in dominant fashion, 25-12, 25-19, 26-24, improving to 11-6 overall and 10-5 in Heart of America Conference play.

The opening set saw Grand View establish control early. Bernardo Luis Marostica opened with a service ace, and Pietro Fadanelli followed with a kill to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead. Ottawa rallied to take a 2-3 advantage, but Cheikh Sou delivered a kill and combined with Jonathan Rzepa for a block to push Grand View back in front 4-3. Andre Lucas Alves Leandro took over from there, recording three consecutive blocks to extend the lead to 9-5. Rzepa and Fadanelli added kills to push the advantage to 17-9, prompting a timeout from Ottawa. The Vikings continued to pour it on, with Sou and Rzepa delivering key kills and Rzepa closing out the set with a service ace to secure a commanding 25-12 victory.

The second set was more competitive, with the two teams trading points through the early stages. Grand View jumped ahead 2-0 before Ottawa tied it at 3-3 and eventually took a 2-3 lead. The Vikings steadied themselves, with Leandro delivering back-to-back kills and Fadanelli and Rzepa combining for consecutive blocks to push the lead to 15-11. Ottawa fought back to trim the deficit to 19-16, but Grand View responded with a dominant stretch. Fadanelli and Sou delivered back-to-back kills, and Marostica orchestrated the offense as the Vikings pushed their lead to 24-17. Ottawa made a late push to pull within 24-19, but a service error from the Braves gave Grand View the set 25-19.

The third set was the most dramatic of the night. Ottawa grabbed an early 0-1 lead before the teams exchanged points through the opening stages. Grand View surged ahead behind Leandro, who recorded a block and a kill to help push the Vikings to a 11-7 advantage. Ottawa called timeout and began to chip away, eventually tying the set at 23-23 after a wild five-point run. Leandro delivered a clutch kill from Marostica to give Grand View set point at 24-23, but Ottawa responded to tie it again at 24-24. Marcus Taylor delivered the go-ahead kill from Guilherme Domdei Goedert to push Grand View ahead 25-24, and Leandro and Fadanelli combined for a block on Macort Pickup to close out the set 26-24 and complete the sweep.

GAME NOTES

• Andre Lucas Alves Leandro (11 kills, .556 hitting %, 2 digs, 3 blocks)
• Cheikh Sou (10 kills, .412 hitting %, 1 dig, 4 blocks)
• Jonathan Rzepa (5 kills, .444 hitting %, 1 ace, 2 digs, 2 blocks)
• Pietro Fadanelli (7 kills, .053 hitting %, 5 digs, 2 blocks)
• Bernardo Luis Marostica (20 assists, 6 digs, 1 ace)