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Hayley Taka
Ted Schultz
2
Central (IA) Cent 11-5,0-0 American Rivers
3
Winner Grinnell GC 12-5,0-0 Midwest
Central (IA) Cent
11-5,0-0 American Rivers
2
Final
3
Grinnell GC
12-5,0-0 Midwest
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Central (IA) Cent 25 20 25 16 11 (2)
Grinnell GC 21 25 23 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Ted Schultz

Grinnell continues success against ARC teams with thrilling 5-set victory over Central

GRINNELL, Iowa - Grinnell College had another successful outing against an American Rivers Conference foe, posting its fifth victory over a team from that league in a five-set volleyball thriller at Darby Gymnasium Friday night.

Grinnell rallied from a first-set loss to a strong Central College team and won a five-set marathon that lasted 2 hours, 14 minutes. The Pioneers, who now have three victories in a row over the Dutch, won by scores of 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16 and 15-11 to improve to 12-5 overall. The Dutch fell to 11-5.

Millie Leonard '27 pounded down a career-high 19 kills and hit .349 to lead Grinnell at the net, while Jenna Keller '25 had 13 kills and Hayley Taka '26 added 11.

Emily Brewer '25 distributed 47 assists and inched ever closer to the 3,000-assist plateau for her career. She now has 2989, fourth-best in program history.

Brewer and Gabby Choy '26 each served two aces as Grinnell tallied 10 as a team, while Sophie Weber '25 led the digs department with 28. She now ranks fourth in program history with 1339 digs. 

Keller, who is 10th in program history with 1061.5 points, had 20 digs and Choy posted a career-best 16. Taka combined for six blocks (two solos and four assists), a career-best.

Grinnell fell behind 17-11 in the first set, but gradually crept back and took a 21-20 lead on Central's attack error. However, the Dutch closed with a five-point run to secure the win.

The Pioneers dug themselves a 19-16 deficit in the second stanza, but followed with a 9-1 run to take the set. Keira Sullivan '27 and Ella O'Neill '25 each had two kills during the run.

After the Dutch won the third set, Grinnell broke out to a 14-6 lead in the fourth set and never looked back on its way to forcing a fifth set.

Grinnell shot out to a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, with Brewer recording a kill in that span. After the Dutch rallied to go ahead 11-9, Leonard pounded down consecutive kills to tie it up. An attack error by the visitors put Grinnell ahead to stay, and that was followed by Taka's service ace and kills by Leonard and Sullivan to finish off the victory.

Grinnell opens Midwest Conference play Tuesday when Beloit College visits Darby Gymnasium. The first serve is set for 7 p.m.
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