UHSP forces Grand View to four, but Vikings prevail

DES MOINES, IA – The Eutectics continued a long road trip on Friday night and were looking for their first-ever win over Grand View. The pivotal third set went the way of the Vikings who went on to beat UHSP in four sets, 25-15, 20-25, 29-27, 25-12.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

GRAND VIEW DEF. UHSP; 25-15, 20-25, 29-27, 25-12

• The opening set was tied six times early on and at 7-7 GVU scored four straight to lead 11-7 and gain some breathing room. The Eutectics could never get closer than two the rest of the set as the Vikings won the opener by ten, closing the set on a 6-0 run.
• As good as GVU closed the first set, UHSP opened the second just as strong taking six of the first seven points and nine of the first dozen. Cooper Hansen, Cameron Werner, Maxwell McVickers and Grant Hoover all recorded kills over the first 12 points to stake the Purple and Gold to the early lead. The clubs' traded points over the ensuing ten as UHSP held a 14-8 lead. McVickers had a pair of kills on assists from RJ Dilks and it was Dilks with a kill to finish out a 4-1 run by the Euts to go up 18-9. Seemingly buried, the Vikings rattled off eight of the next nine to close within two at 19-17, forcing the Eutectics to regroup down the stretch. Kills from Hoover and McVickers, a David Quiñones ace and three Grand View errors finished out a UHSP win by five as the Eutectics connected at a match-best .357 in the set.
• The third set, despite requiring extra points, was composed of massive runs by both clubs. Grand View needed a timeout just five points as the Eutectics scored the first five of the set. Six of the next nine went the way of the Vikings to get within two at 8-6, but the Eutectics took five straight before GVU responded with five of the next six to bring it to 14-11. UHSP took six of the next eight to extend the lead to seven at 20-13. The Vikings were not done though winning eight of the next nine to tie things up at 21-21. Dilks and Hansen recorded kills to put UHSP up two, but the Vikings tied it with a kill and a UHSP error. The Eutectics had three set points but could not close it out as GVU got three straight kills at 27-27 to go up two sets to one.
• Things fell apart for UHSP in the fourth as an early 4-2 lead quickly evaporated. The Eutectics needed a timeout during an 8-2 Grand View run as the Vikings built a 10-6 lead. Another stretch where the home club took seven of ten made it 17-9 as the Eutectics struggled to connect in the set having just eight kills but nine hitting errors. UHSP could only muster three points the rest of the way as Grand View closed on an 8-1 run.
• Cameron Werner, Cooper Hansen and Grant Hoover all led UHSP with nine kills each with Hansen being the most efficient at 28.6%.
• Cheikh Sou recorded 19 kills for GVU and finished with a .256 hitting percentage.
• In the four-set match, UHSP's RJ Dilks had 29 assists while Bernardo Luis Marostica had 39 for Grand View.
• Grand View for the match hit at .239 while UHSP was at .106, their lowest hitting percentage in any of their last nine matches.
• The Vikings improve to 9-0 all-time against the Eutectics.

NEXT UP:

The Eutectics (10-12, 6-8 HEART) continue a nine-game road trip with stop number-five Saturday morning. UHSP will make the short trip from Des Moines, IA to Oskaloosa, IA and face William Penn (14-5, 10-4 HEART) at 11:00a. The Statemen earned a home win over Missouri Baptist on Friday night.