Box Score Muskegon, Mich—GRCC's volleyball team advances to the NJCAA DII National Tournament after forcing five sets--winning three straight--after dropping the first two to conference foe, #19 Muskegon Community College in the NJCAA District E Championship match.

The Raiders tournament started well with a three set win over Mott Community College Friday and another three set win over Ancilla Community College Saturday morning.  Saturday's second match against #14 Schoolcraft started slow with the Raiders losing the first set 17-25, but rallying to take the final three 25-21, 25-21 and 25-18 to advance to the finals.

Having fallen to Schoolcraft Saturday, Muskegon fought their way back to the semifinals downing Oakland and Ancilla on Saturday to earn a chance at redemption against Schoolcraft--with the winner heading to the finals to face the undefeated Raiders. Muskegon stumbled during set one against Schoolcraft 15-25, but won the next three earning a berth into the championship game.

The Jayhawks came out swinging taking the first two sets from GRCC 22-25 and 24-26, but the Raiders rallied and won the next two sets 25-15, 25-20. The Raiders rally would fall short in the final set 8-15, as the Jayhawks would force another game as GRCC remained undefeated in the double elimination tournament. 

Carrying momentum from their win just moments prior, the Jayhawks took the first two sets of the finals 25-17 and 25-17 leaving the Raiders with no options beyond winning three-straight sets, and they did.  GRCC's young team showed grit and took the next two sets 25-22 and 25-21 to force a fifth where GRCC won 22-20—facing four championship points--to earn a NJCAA District E Championship and a berth into the NJCAA National Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia.

Lauren Wieber and Janie Bunge earned All-Tournament Team honors along with Muskegon's Lindsay Jacobs and Rachel Brown, and Schoolcraft's Shannon Malone and Marissa Sims.

GRCC Freshman Rylee Storms was named the District E Tournament's Most Valuable Player while Chip Will, in his 10^th season, was named the District E Coach of the Year.

The 2016 NJCAA DII Volleyball National Championship takes place November 17-20 in Charleston, WV with 16 teams representing their respective districts in the NJCAA.  Tournament details will be posted once brackets are made available.

Full statistics from  yesterday's matches will be posted as soon as possible to grccraiders.com.