BELLEVUE, NEB. – The Valley City State volleyball team finished its weekend at Bellevue's Labor Day Classic with a 4-0 record after a clean sweep over Avila University and Missouri Valley College on Saturday.
 
The Vikings defeated Avila in straight sets by set scores of 25-16, 25-18 and 25-20 in the opening match of the day. VCSU then followed it up with a 3-0 sweep of Missouri Valley, 25-12, 25-19 and 25-23.
 
VCSU continues its best start in over 15 seasons with a 7-2 overall record. Avila drops to 2-4 overall and Missouri Valley drops to 5-4.
 
The Vikings will play at NCAA Div. III Concordia Moorhead on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning to Graichen Gym for its own tournament on Sept. 8-9.
 
VCSU 3, Avila 0
Senior outside hitter Bailey Nelson pounded a season-high 26 kills to lead the Vikings to a clean sweep over Avila University Saturday.
 
VCSU handily swept Avila as the Eagles hit just .091 percent and totaled just 32 kills in the match. The Vikings took the first set 25-16 with the help of a 7-0 run sparked by a Morgan Freije kill.
 
Avila improved in each of the next sets, but VCSU held on to take the next two sets 25-18 and 25-20.
 
Freje had an impressive performance with 10 kills and a team-best four blocks at the net while Danielle Hagler chipped in nine kills and three blocks. Sadie Hansen finished with 42 set assists in the match.
 
JayCee Richter led VCSU's defense with a season-high 25 digs, while Delani Clarke added 11 and Reagan Bogenreif totaled 10.
 
VCSU 3, Missouri Valley 0
The Vikings hit .412 in the second game of the day en route to a 3-0 sweep over Missouri Valley College.
 
VCSU totaled 44 kills on 85 attempts and committed just nine errors in the match. Emma Lucas paced the Vikings with 10 kills as Nelson chipped in nine and Freje added seven.
 
JayCee Richter led the defense with nine digs and Gracie Schumacher added six. Hagler finished with five blocks for the Vikings and Mardi Scutchings recorded four.
 
VCSU stunned Missouri Valley in the first set, holding them to just 12 points. VCSU pulled away with a 17-6 lead early on with back-to-back aces from JayCee Richter.
 
VSCU pulled away midway through the second set with a six-point run capped by a Hagler kill. The Vikings built a 24-16 lead and put away the set on a kill by Lucas to win 25-19.
 
Missouri Valley was able to keep it close in the third set, building a 9-4 advantage early until Hanna Wieland's service ace sparked a five-point run to tie the set. With Missouri Valley leading 19-18, VCSU scored four straight points to take over the lead.
 
VCSU held on to take the set 25-23 and win the match in straight sets.