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Box Score 4 Springfield, Ill. – In a "National Tournament" like feel, the Raiders got to play against four very good programs Friday and Saturday at the Lincoln Land Invite. Although they only came away with one victory, the Raiders battled point after point, proving to be a top national contender and could have easily came out with a 3-1 record.
Friday's opening match was against the host team of Lincoln Land Community College. The 15th ranked Loggers were no match for the Raiders who took care of business in the first two sets 25-21 and 25-19. Kendra DeJonge (Rockford, MI) was nearly unstoppable with 12 kills in the two sets. Despite four kills from co-captain Kayla Salyer (Coopersville, MI), the home team would bounce back though and take the third 25-18.
The Raiders marched to an 11-7 lead in the fourth set, but after a little break in the action because the Loggers setter had blood on her jersey, the momentum switched gears to the other side. LLCC would go on a 14-6 run to lead 21-17, and they ended up forcing a decisive fifth set with a 25-23 win. Outside's DeJonge and Danielle Johnston (Comstock Park, MI) combined for nine kills.
The first half of the fifth set was all GR as the Raiders took an 8-4 lead at the switchover. The Loggers stormed back though on a 6-1 run to take the lead 10-9. Lincoln Land wasn't going to be denied on their home court as they ended up winning the set 15-13, completing the big come back and ending an 11 match win streak for Grand Rapids.
DeJonge totaled 21 of the Raiders 60 kills while adding 14 digs and a block. Sophomore Ally German (Fruitport, MI) was nearly unstoppable with 10 kills, hitting .409 and had four blocks. Johnston and Salyer each had nine kills and Salyer added a match high five blocks. Kelsie Schultz (Fruitport, MI) had a match high 21 digs and picked up one of the Raiders two aces, while Autumn Severn (New Lothrup, MI) had 44 assists, 20 digs and the other Raider ace.
Playing in their third match in a 24 hour period, and in back-to-back fashion, the Raiders next got to tangle with Neosho County Community College of Kansas. The Panthers come from maybe the best Region in DII JUCO volleyball, where four of the top five ranked teams belong, including #1 Coffeyville.
Neosho took advantage of 12 Raider errors in the opening set to win 25-23 and 13 more errors in route to a 25-16 second set win. DeJonge and Johnston denied the Panthers of a sweep as they totaled nine of the 12 Raider kills in the third set cruising to a 25-13 victory.
It looked as if the Raiders would play their 10th set of the day, but Neosho's late heroics wouldn't let that happen. GRCC led 20-16, but they struggled to get out of the next rotation and dropped seven points in a row, as the Panthers would pick up another 25-23 set win and earn their 19th victory of the season.
DeJonge led the offensive attack once again, picking up 16 kills this time to go with her 11 digs. Freshman Emma Pachulski (Belding, MI) had 13 kills of her own and Johnston hit .292 with 10 kills and two blocks. Libero, Katelynn Kietzman (Alto, MI) had a match high 15 digs and Severn had 36 assists, 10 digs and four kills on six tries. Jasmine and Jamie Wellet (Coldwater, MI) combined for 15 digs and four aces.
Saturday, the Raiders opened up with another very good Region 6 team, Kansas City Community College who swept Waubonsee in their opening match and played #2 Parkland tough in their nightcap. They followed that up with a 3-1 win over Lincoln Land in their third match of the tournament.
After winning the first two sets 25-17 and 25-19 and then going up 17-7 in the third, it looked as if the 7th ranked Raiders would cruise to their 16th sweep of the season, but the Blue Devils wouldn't go down without a fight. Out of nowhere they went on a 17-6 run to have a match point. A huge block by Severn and Lauren Jonker (Grand Haven, MI) tied it up at 24, and then the Raiders finished it off with two kills by DeJonge and the match winner by Salyer, 27-25!
It was Salyer and Jonker who we're nearly unstoppable as they combined for 18 kills against just four errors. They also totaled five blocks and two aces. DeJonge had a team high 12 kills and Kietzman again had team best 14 digs. Jamie Wellet added a double-double with 18 assists and 10 digs.
In the final match of the tournament, the Raiders squared up against 2nd ranked Parkland College whom they seeked revenge after suffering their first loss of the season in straight sets back at the Owens Tournament. Since losing to #1 Coffeyville on October 6th, the Cobras hadn't dropped a set in eight straight matches. That streak would continue after a 25-18, 25-15, 25-20 sweep over the Raiders. The win improved their record to a nation best 45-2 with the Cobras only dropping 12 sets all year.
All-Tournament player, Bre Wickerink (Lake Odessa, MI), who was solid all weekend, had the Raiders best performance with 11 kills for a .562 hitting efficiency. The Freshman Middle/Right Side accumulated 26 kills (hitting .300), five blocks and five digs.
GRCC finished the four match tournament with 192 kills, 19 aces, 24 blocks and 272 digs. DeJonge averaged nearly four kills/set with 59 to go with her 46 digs and six blocks. Johnston had 28 kills and 17 digs. Salyer hit .311 with 27 kills, 10 digs and a team best 10 blocks. Jonker and German combined for 26 kills and 13 blocks. Severn had a team high 115 assists and a team high 47 digs. Kietzman added 44 digs and nine assists while Jamie Wellet totaled 47 assists, 41 digs and three aces.
It will be the conference season finale next Tuesday, October 23rd, as the Raiders will travel to Lansing Community College in another revenge match. Back on September 20th, the Stars ended a Raider streak of 49 conference wins in a row after beating them 16-14 in the fifth set. GRCC has already wrapped up the conference crown, but a win would give them the title outright.
