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Emily Brewer
Cory Hall
2
Wis.-Superior UWS 6-3,0-0 UMAC
3
Winner Grinnell GC 7-2,0-0 Midwest
Wis.-Superior UWS
6-3,0-0 UMAC
2
Final
3
Grinnell GC
7-2,0-0 Midwest
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Wis.-Superior UWS 27 18 25 27 14 (2)
Grinnell GC 29 25 23 25 16 (3)
3
Winner Grinnell GC 8-2,0-0 Midwest
0
Macalester MAC 5-2,0-0 MIAC
Winner
Grinnell GC
8-2,0-0 Midwest
3
Final
0
Macalester MAC
5-2,0-0 MIAC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Grinnell GC 25 25 25 (3)
Macalester MAC 23 22 23 (0)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Ted Schultz

Grinnell volleyball team takes down 2 foes on opening day of Macalester Invitational

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It took more than 2-½ hours, but the result was well worth the wait.

Grinnell College's volleyball team outlasted the University of Wisconsin-Superior in five sets in the opening match of the Macalester Invitational Friday.

The Pioneers won the opening two sets, 29-27 and 25-18, before surrendering the next two by scores of 25-20 and 25-19. In the decisive fifth set, Grinnell withstood a big Yellowjacket rally to post a 16-14 decision.

Grinnell had 216 attack attempts in the match, sixth-best in program history. Jenna Keller '25 had 70 of those attacks, which is tied for seventh all-time at GC.

The Pioneers dug themselves in a hole out of the gate, falling behind 7-0 in the opening set. But they rallied and eventually tied things at 13-all. It was back and forth after that, with Grinnell trailing 27-26 before a UW-Superior service error, kill by Millie Leonard '27 and ace by Gabby Choy '26 provided the set victory.

Grinnell used a four-point run early in the second set to pull away, and finished off the win with another three-point run that included kills by Hayley Taka '26 and Keira Sullivan '27.

After the Yellowjackets won the next two sets, Grinnell rebounded in the fifth. A four-point run early, which included three kills by Keller, pushed the Pioneers ahead 8-3. But UW-Superior refused to go away, eventually forcing ties of 13-all and 14-all. However, Keller pounded down consecutive kills to deliver the victory.

Keller led the way with 22 kills, while Sullivan and Leonard added 15 and 13, respectively. Both Emily Brewer '25 and Kylie-Ann Smith '27 provided 28 assists apiece and Brewer also served up three aces.

Leonard added six blocks and Kylie Snell '26 another five. In the digs department, Sophie Weber '25 led the charge with 27, Brewer had 16, Keller posted 13 and Sullivan had 10.

Grinnell followed that up with a three-set sweep of Macalester College to improve to 8-2, its best start to a season since 2019. Set scores were 25-23, 25-22 and 25-23.

The first set was tied 23-all before the Pioneers finished off the win with a kill by Sullivan and attack error by Macalester. Grinnell fell behind 4-0 in the second set before winning by three. In the third set, Grinnell trailed 20-17 before going on a six-point run that included kills by Keller and Ella O'Neill '25 and ace by Choy. After Macalester got within 24-23, Keller concluded the match with a kill.

Taka and Sullivan had 11 kills apiece and Brewer tallied 31 assists. Taka and Brewer served two aces each and Brewer also had 16 digs. Keller added 15 digs and Weber had 14.

During the matches, Brewer moved up to fifth on Grinnell's career assists list with 2,748 and seventh in service aces with 132.

The Pioneers finish off the Macalester Invitational with two matches Saturday, facing Lewis & Clark College of Oregon and Carleton College. The former is coached by Grinnell alum and former Pioneer assistant coach Erin Labasan.
 
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