Oct. 28, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team finished conference play with a perfect record for the sixth time in the program’s history after sweeping Lansing Community College at home on Thursday.
GRCC, ranked sixth in the nation, won its 17th match in a row, topping the Stars 25-11 in the first set and then 25-19 and 25-20.
The win improves the Raiders’ season record to 20-5 overall and 14-0 in the MCCAA Western Conference. The Stars finished fifth in the conference and dropped to 7-13 and 7-5 in the conference.
Assistant coach Amanda Glaza attributed most of the success due to the team's phenomenal passing and defense.
"We stress the importance of serve receive every day in practice,” she said. “The other day at Kalamazoo we struggled, so it was great to see our players step up and make good efficient passes so our offense can get an easy opportunity to score. We preach to them all the time, ‘It all starts with the pass,’ and tonight it showed as we only had three reception errors."
Audrey Torres, a freshman from Caledonia, shined in every phase of the game for the Raiders, compiling a match-high 12 kills to go with seven digs, three blocks and an ace. Annie Holesinger, a sophomore from Rockford, added 11 kills and a match-high five blocks. Audrey Gower, redshirt freshman from Dimondale, played the libero position for the second-straight match, had a team-high 15 digs while adding 6 assists.
Statistical Leaders:
- Kills: Torres, 13; Holesinger, 12; Kara Hecht, 6; Eliza Thelen, 5.
- Assists: Ola Nowak, 30; Gower, 6.
- Digs: Gower, 15; Hecht, 12; Nowak and Zari Kruger, 8.
- Blocks: Holesinger, 5; Torres, 3; Nowak, 2.
- Aces: Hecht, 3; Charlie Baker and Kruger, 2.
Both teams wore pink jerseys for GRCC's annual Pink Night, raising awareness of breast cancer and funds for Gilda's Place of Grand Rapids.
GRCC, the Western Conference champions, start postseason play on Saturday, Oct. 30 against the Bears of Mott Community College, the Eastern Conference winners. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at GRCC’s Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse.