Box Score GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's volleyball team gave Central College all it could handle Thursday night at Darby Gymnasium before the Dutch escaped with a five-set win.
 
Scores, in favor of the 9-2 Dutch, were 25-16, 20-25, 25-20, 21-25 and 15-5. Grinnell is now 0-7.
 
Emily Friedman '19 led the Pioneers with nine kills while Olivia Fromm '17 and Emma Willhardt '19 had seven each. Margaret Giles distributed 31 assists.
 
Sydney Vrecenar '18 led the team in digs with 23, Giles added 15 and Jennifer Joy '16 tallied 14. Evelyn Weidman '17 served up three aces and Fromm had six blocks, including two solos.
 
After losing the first set and falling behind 11-3 and 14-7 in the second, the Pioneers raced back. Weidman served seven points to help Grinnell draw even and Giles later had a six-point service run to put the Pioneers up 20-15.
 
Central got as close as 21-20 when the Pioneers closed out the set with four straight points, the final three served by Vrecenar.
 
After losing the third set, Grinnell fell behind 12-7 in the fourth before again rallying. The Pioneers finally tied the contest at 15-all and eventually went up 21-19.
 
After Central closed within a point, Grinnell scored four of the next five points to win, with Vrecenar serving two of them and Weidman pounding down two kills.
 
Central scored the first seven points of the fifth set en route to victory.
 
The Pioneers play in the Illinois Wesleyan Tournament on Saturday.