GRINNELL, Iowa – It's fitting that the final match of the 2019 Grinnell College Volleyball Tournament also be the most exciting.
Host Grinnell rallied from a 2-1 set deficit to eke out a thrilling 25-16, 23-25, 25-27, 25-15, 18-16 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University at Darby Gymnasium Saturday afternoon. The 2 hour, 6 minute victory pushed Grinnell to 13-2 on the season. That win total ranks 10th in program history.
All-Tournament Team selection
Kaylin Kuhn '21 pounded down 25 kills on 68 attempts, the latter number representing a figure that ranks eighth in program history for a match.
Julianna Roth '22 added 61 assists, ninth most in a match at Grinnell, and as a team the Pioneers had 74 kills which ranks 10th.
All-Tourney Team pick
Olivia Jensen '22 added 17 kills,
Rachel Woock '23 had 13 and
Anna Killin '21 added 10. Kuhn added five aces and Woock and Roth had two apiece. Kuhn's aces gave her 116 for her career, seventh best at Grinnell.
Grinnell piled up 95 digs, with
Payton Lowrey '22 tallying 25, Woock coming up with 19,
Madison Smith '20 contributing 18 and Kuhn and Roth tallying 13 apiece. Jensen and
Hannah Taylor '21 had two blocks each.
After Grinnell won the first set, the Prairie Wolves won the second and third by two points each. The Pioneers took the fourth set with ease. After leading 13-10, the Pioneers broke things open with a five-point run as Lowrey served four of those points. Kuhn had two kills in that span.
That set up the thrilling final set. There were four ties early before the Prairie Wolves went up 7-5. Then Grinnell went to work by rattling off six points in a row, with five on
Madison Smith's serve. Jensen had three kills in that span and Kuhn another to put Grinnell up 11-7.
The Prairie Wolves weren't done, though, grabbing match point at 14-13 before a service error and attack error by the visitors put Grinnell at match point. Twice Nebraska Wesleyan tied it, including 16-16, before the Pioneers put on the finishing touches with two kills by Kuhn to send the Pioneers out of Darby with a 7-4 record.
Grinnell is back in action again Monday, playing Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny. The contest begins at 7 p.m.
