Women’s Volleyball Claims NSAA Tournament Title

Viterbo women's volleyball swept Dakota State University in the North Star Athletic Association Championship (NSAA) Game at R.W. Beggs Senior Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 10. The V-Hawks won their fourth-straight NSAA tournament title and fifth-consecutive conference postseason title.

“To win the NSAA championship was exciting, relieving, and rewarding,” says Katie Frohmader, a sophomore from Fort Atkinson, Wis. “It is always exciting to win a big game and adrenaline is pumping through you, but it was a relief to win because we always put a little bit of pressure on ourselves to live up to the expectations of ourselves and the winning traditions of the program.”

Frohmader explains winning conference was another check mark on the team’s list of things they are continually working toward accomplishing this season.

“So it felt rewarding to see hard work pay off,” says Frohmader. “I felt proud and excited. We have a standard that we set for ourselves on the volleyball team, and to continue to play to those standards and win conference again made me proud to be a part of an organization that has had many years of continued success.”

The V-Hawks ended the set on a 9-2 run with only five errors to win it, 25-15. Dakota State came out on top to start the second set, taking a 10-4 advantage head start over the V-Hawks.

The V-Hawks were just getting warmed up. They hit four kills, a part of a 9-3 run turning Viterbo into leading a nail-biting 23-22 match. Finally, the V-Hawks finished it off with kills from Miah Garant a sophomore from Fort Atkinson, Wis., and Aubrey Aspen, a senior from Sparta, Wis., to win it with a final score of 25-23.

Senior Aubrey Aspen explains, “I love when a crowd is loud and involved. We really don’t get to see that often, and it makes such a great atmosphere. I love when we are silly during our warmup and are just joking and dancing around. But my favorite part of volleyball must be blocking. There really is no feeling like it. It is a complete game-changer getting a well-timed block.”

Both teams fought neck-in-neck through the first half of the first half. Trailing 10-11, Viterbo would go on a 10-3 run to take control of the set.

The Trojans would come within four points of the lead, but Viterbo scored three of the final four points, capped off by a Dakota State service error to clinch the 25-19 set win.

Katie Frohmader led all players with nine kills to go with five digs and an ace.

Maya Roberts, another sophomore from Watertown, Wis., was errorless with eight kills. Maya Roberts says, “My favorite part about competing in big tournaments is the support that we receive. It's an amazing feeling knowing that so many people want to see us succeed. We get incredible support from our families and the community here at Viterbo