Oct. 2, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team extended its winning streak to 10 with victories over Terra State Community College and Macomb Community College in the 2021 Raider Challenge on Sunday.
The Raiders, ranked No. 10 in NJCAA's Division II, played their best-overall match of the year against the No. 5 team in the nation, Terra State, defeating them easily in three; 25-13, 25-16, 25-19.
Terra State, from Fremont, Ohio, came into the match on a 25-match winning streak, and hadn't dropped a set since Aug. 28 when the Raiders won one in the Owens Tournament. The Titans dropped to 26-3 on the season after the loss.
Coach Chip Will was impressed with the performance and growth of this team this season.
"We've come a long way since losing to Terra State back in August," Will said. "Our lineup is a lot more solid than it was back then and I'm excited to see where we will be a month from now, because we haven't reached our full potential yet."
Every GRCC player who stepped on the court hit positive for the match and, as a team, the Raiders hit an impressive .346 with 39 kills and just 11 errors. Annie Holesinger led all attackers with 12 kills.
In match two - the final match of the tournament - the Raiders played all 15 student-athletes in the four-set victory; winning 25-17, 26-28, 25-14, 25-16.
Holesinger ripped off 16 kills against the Macomb, with Audrey Torres adding 10 kills, Kylie Oberlin with seven, and Eliza Thelen with a collegiate high five kills.
Tournament Leaders:
- Kills: Holesinger, 43; Torres, 28; Oberlin, 17; Shannon Russell, 7.
- Assists: Russell, 101; Ola Nowak, 11.
- Digs: Nowak, 31; Russell, 22; Torres, 21; Audrey Gower, 18.
- Blocks: Oberlin, 7; Holesinger, 6; Torres and Karissa Ferry, 5.
- Aces: Torres, 6; Kara Hecht and Gower, 5; Russell, 4.
The Raiders will be back in conference play this week, taking on Glen Oaks Community College on Oct. 5 and Muskegon Community College on Oct. 7.