GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College tuned up for the 2016 Midwest Conference Tournament in an impressive fashion Saturday afternoon, blanking Monmouth College in three sets during Senior Day action at Darby Gymnasium.
 
The Pioneers, who had already secured a spot in the tourney with a victory Friday, rattled off a 25-17, 25-19 and 25-22 victory to improve to 6-3 in the MWC and 14-10 overall. The conference record is the team's best since the 2011 season, and the overall victory total is tops since 2009.
 
Two Pioneers had impressive performances at the net. Emma Willhardt '19 tallied 10 kills and hit a sizzling .471, while Emily Friedman '19 added 11 kills and hit .440. Both hitting efficiencies are among the tops in program history.
 
Margaret Giles '18 displayed a balanced performance of 34 assists, two ace serves and three total blocks. Willhardt also had three blocks.
 
Sydney Vrecenar '18 led the team in digs with 19, while Olivia Fromm '17 had 14 and Deanna Taylor '18 had 10.
 
The first set was tied 13-all when the Pioneers tacked on four consecutive points, three coming on Fromm's serve, to take command for good as Monmouth never got closer than three.
 
The second set mirrored the first, tied at 13-all when Grinnell used a 6-1 surge to go up 19-14. Vrecenar served three points in that span, while Willhardt and Friedman each had kills as Grinnell cruised to victory.
 
Monmouth broke out to the early lead in the third set before the Pioneers finally drew even.
 
The squads battled on even terms after that, with Monmouth leading 22-20 before Grinnell closed out the set and match with five consecutive points. Friedman had two kills during that time and Evelyn Weidman '17 one, including the final point of the match.  
 
Grinnell opens MWC Tournament play next Friday against St. Norbert College at Mount Vernon. The match starts at 4:30 p.m.
 
Monmouth ends its season at 2-7 in the MWC and 7-18 overall.