GRINNELL, Iowa – The t-shirts worn by the Grinnell College team and most of its fans stated the message "Defend Darby" - and that's exactly what the Pioneers did Friday night.
 
Grinnell swept Monmouth College before a season-high crowd of 500-plus to improve to 4-1 in the Midwest Conference for the first time since the 1998 season. Grinnell, 13-12 overall, won by scores of 26-24, 25-13 and 25-19.
 
Emma Willhardt '19 moved up to fourth on Grinnell's career solo blocks list with 92 and eighth for total blocks with 227. She had five total blocks Friday, one solo and four assists. Grinnell's net presence forced Monmouth into a team hitting efficiency of just .060.
 
Kaylin Kuhn '21 pounded down 16 kills and hit .286 to go along with 17 digs. Hannah Taylor '21 added nine kills and Julianna Roth '22 contributed 30 assists. Payton Lowrey '22 had four of Grinnell's 10 service aces and tallied 10 digs. Madison Smith '20 had four aces and 15 digs.
 
Grinnell trailed the early part of the opening set before going ahead with an eight-point service run by Smith. She had two aces in that span and Willhardt, Taylor and Lowrey all had kills to push the Pioneers ahead 14-11.
 
However, Monmouth came back and went ahead 21-20. The Fighting Scots were later at set point at 24-22, but a service error and attack error by the visitors tied things up. Taylor then had a kill and Smith served the final point to push Grinnell to the win.
 
Grinnell led the entire way the second set and was sparked at the end with a six-point service run by Smith that included an ace. The third set went back and forth, with a few lead changes and an 18-all tie before the Pioneers scored six points in a row. Lowrey served five of those with an ace and Kuhn belted three kills.
 
After Monmouth, 0-6 in the MWC and 10-13 overall, scored to come within 24-19 the Pioneers tallied the final point to secure the win.
 
Grinnell is back in action Saturday with Senior Day at Darby. The match against Illinois College starts at 1 p.m.