Back-to-Back Champs, Vikings Claim 2022 NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship

Men’s Volleyball | Sat, Apr. 16, 2022

West Des Moines, IA – The No.1 ranked Grand View men’s volleyball team won its second consecutive NAIA National Championship with a victory over Benedictine University at Mesa from the MidAmerica RecPlex on Saturday evening. The Vikings and the Redhawks dueled it out over four sets in a rematch of 2021’s National Championship and once again it was Grand View who took home the title this time with scores of 25-23, 25-27, 25-23 and 26-24.

Set 1: Grand View University 25 l Benedictine University at Mesa 23

The first set saw the Vikings grab an early lead when consecutive kills from Bayron Valdez (SO/Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and Daniel Galili (FR/Shomrat, Israel) gave the Vikings a three-point advantage, 8-5. Benedictine Mesa stayed right on Grand View’s heels through the middle portion of the set and eventually made it even at 15-15. The Vikings then lost their lead slightly at 21-23 but rallied off a 4-0 scoring streak to win the first set with some help on a few errors committed by the Redhawks.

Set 2: Grand View University 25 l Benedictine University at Mesa 27

In the second, it was Benedictine Mesa who jumped out to a lead in the early stages with a kill by the Redhawks putting the score at 4-8. The Grand View offense eventually found a groove a few moments later and took over the lead at 15-13 following a 4-0 scoring run that was started by back-to-back kills from Daniel Wong (SO/Campbell, CA). The Vikings and Redhawks went back and forth deep into the closing stages of the set and the Vikings even staved off a couple of set points to remain alive on two occasions. However, the Redhawks capitalized on a pair of Vikings errors to win the set and bring the match even at 1-1.

Set 3: Grand View University 25 l Benedictine University at Mesa 23

After dropping the second set, the Vikings came out in the third with a good start and a kill by Leonardo Annichini (SO/Verona, Italy) gave them a 9-6 lead. Grand View was able to hold on to its three-point lead despite a few counters from Benedictine Mesa over the middle stages as Galili scored another kill at the 17-14 mark. Benedictine Mesa did pull within one after fending off two set points by Grand View, but a Redhawk service error sealed the set win for the Vikings.

Set 4: Grand View University 26 l Benedictine University at Mesa 24

Grand View was once again able to take the lead to start the fourth set as Wong and Valdez…