Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Grinnell College Athletics

Grinnell College logo - go to site
Volleyball
Cory Hall
1
Monmouth (IL) MC 19-11,6-2 Midwest
3
Winner Grinnell GC 21-9,7-1 Midwest
Monmouth (IL) MC
19-11,6-2 Midwest
1
Final
3
Grinnell GC
21-9,7-1 Midwest
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Monmouth (IL) MC 23 16 27 20 (1)
Grinnell GC 25 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Ted Schultz

Grinnell netters hold off Monmouth to earn shot at MWC Tourney title

Pioneers will play Cornell in championship match Saturday

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Less than a week ago, Grinnell College's volleyball team held off a pesky Monmouth College squad to end the regular season.

Friday's encore performance was another successful outing for the Pioneers, as they staved off the Fighting Scots in four sets in the Midwest Conference Tournament semifinals.

The 25-23, 25-16, 25-27, 25-20 victory pushed Grinnell into the tourney title match for the third time in the last five seasons. It is Grinnell's fourth trip overall to the championship round.

The Pioneers will play either tourney host Cornell College at 1 p.m. Saturday for the title. The winner earns the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

It was literally a block party for the Pioneers Friday, as they tallied 15 overall blocks and 26 assist blocks. The assist blocks rank sixth in program history and the overall total is the ninth-most in a four-set match at Grinnell.

Millie Leonard '27 posted eight blocks, ninth-most in a four-setter at Grinnell, and the Pioneers' 103 digs are also ninth-best in a four-set contest.

Grinnell, which has won nine in a row against the Fighting Scots dating back to 2016, saw career-high block totals from Leonard, Jenna Keller '25 and Kylie Snell '26 (five each) and Emily Brewer '24 (four).

Leonard also had 15 kills and Keller posted 12. Keller's career kills total of 1,104 ranks sixth in program history. Sophie Weber '25 came up with 29 digs to push her career total to 1,652, third-best in program history. She has 571 this season, which is fourth-best. Also in double-digit digs were Keller with 18 and Brewer and Gabby Choy '26 with 15 apiece. Brewer distributed 43 assists and Weber served up three aces.

Grinnell trailed the first set 15-14 before going on a three-point run that included two kills from Leonard and one by Keller. Though Monmouth stayed close, the Pioneers led the rest of the way.

The Fighting Scots took a 10-8 lead in the second set before the Pioneers responded with a six-point run to take control. Hayley Taka '26 pounded down three kills in that span, Leonard added two and Brewer and Leonard combined on a block. The Pioneers cruised from there for a 2-0 lead in sets.

Monmouth took the marathon third set and led the fourth 12-11 when Grinnell scored five unanswered. Keller sparked the run with three kills and Weber served an ace. The Fighting Scots closed within 20-19, only to see the Pioneers finish it off by scoring five of the next six points.

The match saw Brewer move up to fifth in career sets played at Grinnell with 421 and sixth in matches played at 121. The Pioneers' assists total this season moved to 1,198, 10th-best.

Grinnell improved to 21-9 on the season, the third-most victories in program history. Monmouth closes out at 19-11.
 
Print Friendly Version