Vikings Get Swept In Tightly Contested Match Against Park, Valdez With 18 Kills

Men’s Volleyball | Tue, Feb. 14, 2023 at 9:00 PM

Des Moines, IA – The Vikings were back in action at home Tuesday night, where they had a valentine’s day date with Park University. After several back-and-forth sets with the Pirates, the Vikings were eventually outmatched as they lost in three sets, 25-18, 29-27, and 25-22. 

Set 1: Grand View University 18 | Park University 25

The Vikings came out red hot as Daniel Wong (SR/Campbell, CA ) got the game started with a kill. Bayron Valdez (JR/Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) wanted to get in on the fun as he got 3 of the Viking’s next 4 kills helping jump out to a 5-2 lead. After a short run by the pirates, the defense got going as Zeo Meyer (JR/Wheaton, IL ) and Nicolas Vattier (SO/Santiago, Chile) got blocks on back-to-back plays forcing a Park timeout. After trading points, Nickolas Lima (FR/Curitiba, Brazil ) was able to break through as he registered a kill to get the Vikings back on track. Shortly after the Vikings called a timeout to prepare for one last run but were unable to seal the deal as they dropped set one, 25-18. 

Set 2: Grand View University 27 | Park University 29

Meyer got the party started for the Vikings in set number two as he picked up back-to-back aces to start the set. Valdez continued to pour on the points as he was able to pick up a kill and followed it up with an ace. The ace party was continued as Dalton Dencklau (SR/Lehigh, IA ) added his own to give the Vikings a one-point lead 14-13. After a short run, the pirate runs the Vikings took a time out and helped prepare Valdez to record 4 kills all assisted by Meyer before Park took a timeout of their own. Valdez and Lima combined for the last Vikings kills but it wasn’t enough as they dropped set two, 29-27. 

Set 3: Grand View University 22 | Park University 25

Park jumped out to a small lead to start the third set, but Wong quickly slowed it as he added 2 kills to bring the Vikings within 1. The Viking run would be capped off by a block from Vattier, Meyer, and Lima. Lima, Vattier, and Meyer would all record kills leading up to a Grand View timeout to prepare for one last push. In the end, it wasn’t enough as the Vikings fell to the Pirates in set three by three points, 25-22. 

Key Players…

Bayron Valdez led the Vikings with 18 kills over the three sets on a K% of .278 along with a service ace and 5 digs. Daniel Wong also provided a spark on offense as he was able to record 7 kills…