GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College gave nationally-ranked Cornell College all it could handle Wednesday night, but the Rams escaped Darby Gymnasium with a four-set victory to secure the Midwest Conference volleyball title.
 
After losing a hard-fought first set 27-25, Grinnell rallied with a 25-21 win in the second. Cornell slipped out a 26-24 victory in the third set and secured the match victory with a 25-20 decision.
 
Grinnell (4-3 MWC, 12-16 overall) saw Millie Leonard '27 tally a career-high 18 kills and Jenna Keller '24 adding 16. Emily Brewer '24 had 42 assists and served three aces.
 
Leonard and Malaina Miles '24 each added three blocks and Sophie Weber '25 came up with a career-best 33 digs, which ranks fifth all-time at Grinnell for a four-set match. Keller and Brewer added 14 digs apiece.
 
Grinnell used a late run to turn a 24-22 deficit into a 25-24 lead in the opening set, with Keller having a kill in that span. However, 24^th-ranked Cornell (7-0 MWC, 19-6 overall) scored three in a row to win.
 
In the second set, the Pioneers used an early three-point run to get a lead they would only relinquish once, that being a tie. Ahead 23-20 late, Grinnell saw Cornell score before Miles put the set away with a kill.
 
The third set found Grinnell building a 13-11 lead with the aid of a kill by Hayley Taka '26. After falling behind, Leonard and Miles sparked a three-point run to make it a 19-16 Grinnell margin.
 
Again Cornell came back, forcing several ties. Taka's kill allowed Grinnell to tie it at 24-all, but after that the Rams scored a pair of points to win.
 
Cornell pulled away late in the fourth set to claim the victory.
 
Brewer moved up to 10^th on Grinnell's all-time list for aces and now has 110. Emmy Nyquist '24 now ranks fifth in career sets played with 417 and Keller moved to 14^th on the kills chart with 696.
 
Grinnell will attempt to punch its ticket to the MWC Tournament Saturday when it plays at Monmouth College.