CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. — The #5-seeded Campbellsville University men's volleyball team battled the #4-seeded Missouri Valley College Vikings on Thursday in the final game of Pool D at the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship. Although the contest featured tightly contested sets, the Vikings bested the Tigers in a straight-set sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-23), ending Campbellsville's hopes of making a run for a pool tiebreaker.
- Opposite Denzel Madrigal led the Tiger offense with a match-high 15 kills on a highly efficient .343 hitting percentage across 35 swings.
- Outside hitter Savvas Christou also reached double digits, putting down 11 kills on a .350 hitting clip.
- Junior middle blocker Pedro Zavatini was highly effective at the net, registering five kills on nine total attacks (.444) while tallying five block assists.
- Setter Alonzo Vega flawlessly orchestrated the offense in his final match of the season, dealing out 35 assists.
- Sophomore libero Andrew Ovalle anchored the backcourt defense by picking up seven digs.
Early in the first set, Missouri Valley was quick on the attack. The Campbellsville defense struggled to contain its terminal kills, allowing the Vikings to extend their lead on the scoreboard.
Denzel Madrigal chipped away at the Vikings' lead with heavy swings, but the Tigers remained behind as the frame unfolded, ultimately dropping the opener 25-18.
Although Missouri Valley opened the second set holding the upper hand, Madrigal and
Ayoub Hamadache worked together to string together side-outs and tie the score at 10-10. Strong offensive strikes from the Vikings' Luca Hasse and Joao Tavares reclaimed the lead for Missouri Valley, but Campbellsville did not trail too far behind. The Tigers' block tightened the score once more late in the frame, but an untimely error from Campbellsville's service line returned the ball to Missouri Valley, allowing the Vikings to close the frame with a three-point margin, 25-22.
The Tigers came into the third set determined to extend the match.
Pedro Zavatini took matters into his own hands with a terminal kill and a block to put Campbellsville ahead early. Madrigal and
Savvas Christou followed with kills of their own to preserve the Tigers' advantage, but the Vikings tied the score once more with an avid offense orchestrated by setter Leonardo Poiatti. Attacking errors by Missouri Valley returned the upper hand to Campbellsville, but not for long, as the Vikings mounted a crucial five-point run to reclaim the momentum.
The Tigers caught up, fighting to tie the score at 23-23 with an offense led by Madrigal and fierce control at the net by Zavatini and
Alonzo Vega. As Campbellsville stood within two points of forcing a fourth set, back-to-back unstoppable kills by Missouri Valley's Tavares closed the match 25-23, knocking the Tigers out of their run in the NAIA National Championship.
