LA CROSSE, WIS. – The Valley City State volleyball team dropped its regular season finale to No. 5 Viterbo Saturday on the road, 26-24, 25-18 and 25-13.
 
Viterbo's Kenzie Winker posted 20 kills while hitting .475 and added three blocks in the match. The V-Hawks finish the conference season with a perfect 12-0 record and will be the top seed for the NSAA Postseason. Viterbo improves to 28-4 overall.

VCSU is now 22-8 overall and rounds out the conference schedule with an 8-4 mark. The Vikings will be the No. 2 seed for the NSAA Postseason after winning the tie-breaker with Bellevue, who also finished the conference season with an 8-4 record.
 
The Vikings started strong Saturday with 20 kills in the first set. A Morgan Freije kill sparked a 10-3 Viking run to hold a 16-14 lead. The Vikings held on to bring up set point at 24-21 on a kill by Danielle Hagler, but the V-Hawks held off the Vikings and scored the next five straight points to win the first set, 26-24.
 
Viterbo stepped up its momentum in the next set, pulling away with a 17-10 lead early on. VCSU inched closer but it wasn't enough as the V-Hawks finished with five of the last seven points to win the second set, 25-18.
 
Viterbo then finished the match with 17 kills in the last set without committing a single attack error en route to a 25-13 win and the 3-0 match.
 
Sadie Hansen finished with a double-double of 30 set assists and 10 digs, while JayCee Richter added a game-high 18 digs and Delani Clarke chipped in 10.
 
Bailey Nelson led VCSU with 13 kills in the match. Morgan Freije totaled nine kills and Mardi Scutchings finished with seven.
 
Viterbo totaled 50 kills while hitting .370 in the match, led by Winker. Grace Rhode and Cailie Kowal each added a double-double on the day. Rhode totaled 14 kills and 13 digs while Kowal finished with 16 assists and 12 digs.
 
Maddie Connor finished with 17 assists for Viterbo and Kenidi McCabe anchored the defense with 15 digs.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU will compete in the 2023 NSAA Volleyball Tournament Nov. 9-11 in Watertown, S.D. VCSU has earned a No. 2 seed for the postseason and will have a bye in the first round of the tournament.