V-Hawks fall in Season Opener

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The V-Hawks traveled south to Iowa for their first competition of the 2026 season to take on the twelfth ranked Mustangs of Mount Mercy. The V-Hawks fell to the Mustangs in straight sets, going down 25-20, 25-14, 25-18. The two team's will meet again in early February in La Crosse. 

Though the V-Hawks fell to the Mustangs, they steadily improved their play through the match. In the first set, the V-Hawks only offensively produced at a 0.031 clip. In set two, they improved to 0.143, and they improved again in set three with a 0.156 hitting percentage. Offensively, the V-Hawks were led by Riley Connors. Connors added six kills to the tally on a 0.235 efficiency. Caleb Koza picked up five kills as well. Both Ethan Davis and Owen Collitt grabbed four kills, with Collitt hitting a team-high 0.300. 

On the set, Logan Amdur led the way with 21 assists for the V-Hawks. Defensively in the back court, Daxton Marschall and Max Dugan each picked up eight digs for the V-Hawks. Riley Connors was close behind with six digs. At the net, Logan Amdur and Owen Collitt led the team in blocks. Amdur and Collitt each contributed three blocks on the match. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The V-Hawks went down early in set one 6-3. The Mustaings continued to string together a series of short runs, but the V-Hawks kept responding. A 3-0 run by the Mustangs gave them the 15-8 lead over the V-Hawks. Out of a timeout, the V-Hawks went on a 6-2 run with kills by Owen Collitt and Caleb Koza and marked by a block from Logan Amdur and Owen Collitt. The V-Hawk run forced a Mount Mercy timeout. The V-Hawks continued to fight, down 23-20 in the final points. The V-Hawks fell in set one 25-20. 
• Styrk Myhre scored the first V-Hawks points of set two. The V-Hawks went down early after a 10-2 run from the Mustangs. The run was eventually cut off by Riley Connors. There was some back and forth late in the set, but the V-Hawks had dug themselves too deep of a hole. Another late kill by Riley Connors kept the V-Hawks alive, but they eventually fell 25-14 in set two.
• Set three was opened again with a Styrk Myhre kill from Logan Amdur. The V-Hawks kept the match within three, but the Mustangs began to run away again. The V-Hawks went down 14-7, but responded with a 5-1 run, forcing a Mount Mercy Timeout. Out of the timeout, Owen Collitt picked up another kill. The Mustangs began to pull away again. A late kill by Ethan Davis fought to kept the V-Hawks in the game, but the Mustangs came out victorious with a 25-18 win. 

UP NEXT

The V-Hawks will return to action on Tuesday, January 27 to face off against Clarke in Dubuque. First serve is set for 7pm at the Kehl Center in Dubuque.