DUBUQUE, Iowa – History repeated itself for the Grinnell College volleyball team in the final match of Saturday's Loras Tournament.
 
On a day when Payton Lowrey '23 set the school record for career digs, Grinnell won a five-set match against Saint Mary's University of Minnesota for the second time this season. The first instance came Sept. 2 in Grinnell.
 
Lowrey had 1,638 digs after the opening match Saturday while passing Jamie Snider, who accumulated 1,617 between 1996 and 1999. Following the Saint Mary's win, she boosted that total to 1,666.
 
Grinnell lost the opening set to Saint Mary's 25-19, won 25-20 and 25-17, lost 25-16 and then posted a 15-11 victory in the decisive set. Hayley Taka '26 had 17 kills to lead Grinnell and Julianna Vajda '23 added 10.
 
Emily Brewer '24 distributed 42 assists, while Sophie Weber '25 had four ace serves and Rachel Woock '23 and Lowrey two each. In the digs department, Lowrey had 28, Weber and Woock tallied 16 and Brewer added 11.
 
After losing the opening set, Grinnell used fast starts to win in the second and third. Saint Mary's got the fourth set to set up the fifth-set showdown. It was tight most of the way, with Grinnell owning an 11-9 edge before Taka had consecutive kills to give the Pioneers some breathing room.
 
The teams traded points before Nicole Mlynski '26 followed with a kill to secure the victory.
 
Grinnell opened the day by giving a good test to eighth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College, losing 25-19, 25-21 and 25-13. Woock and Ella O'Neill '26 each had six kills for Grinnell and Brewer added 18 assists. O'Neill and Mlynski tallied two blocks apiece and Lowrey had 25 digs. Weber contributed 12 digs.
 
Grinnell, 7-4 overall, opens Midwest Conference play Friday at Monmouth College. Action begins at 7 p.m.