GRINNELL, Iowa – After shaking off a slow start, the Grinnell College volleyball squad gave one of the nation's top teams plenty of fits before falling in three sets Tuesday night at Darby Gymnasium.
The University of Dubuque, which is receiving votes for the NCAA Division III national rankings, broke out to a 7-1 lead in the opening set on its way to a 25-13 victory.
But then the Pioneer stepped up big, battling the Spartans to the end in the next two sets with Dubuque winning each tight affair by 25-23 scores.
Kaylin Kuhn '21 again led Grinnell's hitting attack with nine kills and also had a team-high14 digs.
Sydney Vrecenar '18,
Emma Willhardt '19 and
Hannah Taylor '21 each had five kills and
Margaret Giles '18 added 23 assists.
Deanna Taylor '18 came up with 11 digs and
Olivia Jensen '21 had three total blocks.
After the tough first set, Grinnell bounced back in the second by scoring three of the first four points with the aid of a kill by Kuhn.
No more than two points separated the teams the rest of the set, which saw 16 ties. Grinnell led three times down the stretch, 20-19 after Vrecenar's kill, 21-20 on Kuhn's kill and 22-21 on a service error by Dubuque.
However, the Spartans closed out the win by scoring four of the next five points.
Dubuque got off to a quick start in the third set, grabbing a 5-1 lead and later going ahead 16-11.
But the Pioneers caught fire, going on a 9-4 run to tie the contest at 20-all. Vrecenar had two kills in that span, while Willhardt and
Hannah Taylor added one each.
Later a kill by Jensen tied the contest at 21-all before Dubuque scored three points in a row. A Dubuque service error and Giles' ace made it a 24-23 score before the Spartans finished off the win.
Grinnell is now 12-7, while Dubuque improved to 21-2. The Pioneers travel to Ankeny Thursday to play Faith Baptist College at 7 p.m.
