Grinnell College women’s volleyball came up six points short of a win against Wartburg College in an epic four-set showdown at Darby Gym. The Pioneers came into the Oct. 10 match with great energy as they continued an unbeaten run in the Midwest Conference (MWC).
Grinnell clinched the first set, despite trailing in the beginning. However, Wartburg managed to overcome the serving game of Grinnell and won key points at the end of the next set. The match ended three sets to one for Wartburg after a tense point-by-point fourth set that Grinnell led multiple times.
Pre-match, coach Eric Ragan emphasized the importance of playing a strong serving game to keep on pressure, neutralizing their middle hitters and playing stout defense on top hitters. Ragan said that the key to winning the match was “being versatile and being really good problem solvers as the match goes on.” As Grinnell had only beaten Wartburg twice in the program’s history, Ragan said the match would be a big test for the team.
Outstanding defense and consistent serving did prove to be crucial in winning the first set as three consecutive unanswered serves by Gabby Choy `26 catapulted Grinnell to winning the first set 25-19.
Despite trailing for the rest of the game, Grinnell did not lose the energy from the first set. Spikes and lobs from Kylie Snell `26 from the middle broke the ice to inspire the team in a second set where Wartburg had a clear advantage. Players kept the game close throughout, with Marlowe Hurst `28 consistently serving, Gracie Lim `28 recovering and a stout offensive pressure from Millie Leonard `27, MWC Offensive Player of the Week. Three consecutive kills from Keira Sullivan `27 gave Grinnell a narrow lead in the fourth set, which did not prove enough to level the score.
“I’m proud of our team for fighting throughout and never giving up and going for it the whole time,” Ragan said after the match. “We served really tough and put a lot of pressure on them, and then they just had a couple key players make some plays at the end of sets that gave them the win.”
Reflecting on the outcome of the match, Sullivan said that “volleyball turns on errors and quick momentum swings,” but she was also proud of the intensity the team maintained. Leonard said the team must keep improving, particularly at hitting around the defensive block and, setting aside her disappointment, she was excited to come back stronger in next week’s match.
Following their win, Wartburg’s assistant coach Meghan Witte said she was especially proud of her team since Wartburg played in the absence of their head coach. She said that the key to winning the match was refusing to let Grinnell’s pressure discourage the team from playing aggressively.
Grinnell’s next game is against Luther College in their first game of the Grinnell Quad on Oct. 18.
