Aug. 27, 2021, PERRYSBURG, Ohio -- The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team defeated both of their opponents in day one of the Owens Express Invitational to improve to 3-3 on the season.

After beating No. 12 Catawba Valley Community College three sets to one, the Raiders concluded the day by sweeping Waubonsee Community College. 

The Raiders jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the opening set of its first match and never looked back.  The team led by as many as seven points and downed the Red Hawks 25-21.  Annie Holesinger (Rockford, MI) tallied five of her match high 18 kills in the set.

Catawba Valley tied the match up at a set a piece after a 25-17 set two victory, but the Raiders would rebound to win 25-21 in each of the final two sets to take the match. 

Holesinger - named MCCAA Western Conference Player of Week last week - would led all point scorers with 21 points on 18 kills and three blocks. Freshmen Audrey Torres (Caledonia, MI) and Morgan Fugate (Wayland, MI) had 10 kills a piece and combined for 19 digs.  Audrey Gower (Dimondale, MI) and setter Ola Nowak (Grandville, MI) led the defense with 19 digs each.

In match two of the day, the Raiders took on Waubonsee Community College of Sugar Grove, Illinois. After a season best .636 hitting percentage, the Raiders downed the Chiefs in set one by a score of 25-16.  Holesinger and Fugate each had five kills in the set.  The next two sets the Raiders would led wire to wire and win 25-18 and 25-15 to complete the sweep.  

Holesinger hit .750 for the match and tied a match high of nine kills.  Fugate also had nine kills to go along with her team high four aces and nine digs.  Gower led the defense again with 11 digs while Alena Visnovsky (Sparta, MI) and Karissa Ferry (Chesaning, MI) finished with three blocks a piece.

The Raiders will conclude tournament play Saturday against the No. 2 ranked Cobras of Parkland College and Terra State Community College of Ohio, which finished ninth in the nation last year.  Game play is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. 

Live streaming for the matches is available for free through the Raider Nation Volleyball's Facebook site.