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Toledo, OH – GRCC’s Raider volleyball team enters day two of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament 1-1.  In the opening round of the tournament the Raiders faced 8^th ranked Illinois Central College.  The Cougars entered the tournament as the 7th seed with a 28-11 overall record including one 2-3 loss to GRCC earlier in the year at the Owens Invitational.

The Raiders bested the Cougars 3-2 taking the first, third and fifth sets, 27-25, 22-25, 25-15, 16-25 and 15-12.  Czehowski, Darling and Maynard led the team in kills combining for 39.  Kaitlyn Wolters delivered 43 assists with only one error and Hannah Geelhoed helped fuel the Raiders with 9 kills and 5 blocks.

The win over Illinois Central placed the Raiders in the winner’s bracket—the furthest they have ever advanced in the national tournament.

In the next round the Raiders found themselves paired against Oakland Community College.   In two matches against Oakland this season, the Raiders have walked away with two wins, but the second seeded Oakland Raiders were too much for the GRCC’s Raiders in their third meeting defeating them 3-1.

GRCC recorded 42 kills and 22 blocks against Oakland. Sophomore Alexis Rutter said this of the loss, “We gave it all we had, but it wasn’t enough. Oakland played a great game and they have played the best match we have seen all year.”

At 1-1 the Raiders now face Iowa Lakes at 2:30.  A win will allow the Raiders to place as highly as 5^th nationally.