Photo Gallery

Sept. 16, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Annie Holesinger was nearly unstoppable with a career-best 19 kills and .536 hitting percentage to propel the Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Kellogg Community College on Thursday.

The No. 14-ranked Raiders, winners of four in a row, defeated the visiting Bruins by a score of 25-10, 22-25, 25-17, 25-14. The win brought GRCC's season record to 6-5, and 4-0 against MCCAA Western Conference opponents.  Kellogg Community College drops to 2-10 for the season, and 1-3 against conference teams.

After a dominating first set in which the Raiders hit a match-high .457 with 18 kills against just two errors, the Bruins fought back to win set two, holding GRCC to a match-low .114 hitting percentage. Sets three and four were never in doubt for the Raiders, who would defeat Kellogg for the 27th straight time, dating back to 2007.

"I think the team played really well," said Holesinger.  "We had some downs but in the end we showed people what Raider volleyball is all about. It felt really good to get back into the swing of things offensively and the entire team stepped up after losing the second set."

Holesinger, a sophomore from Rockford, wouldn't be the only Raider setting career-highs. Three freshmen also put up impressive numbers.

Setter Shannon Russell, from Grand Rapids, posted a double-double with a career-high 45 assists and 10 digs, running the 5-1 offense all four sets. She also had a career-high 5 kills and had a team-best four aces.

Ola Nowak, playing libero in all four sets for the first time posted a career-high 20 digs. The Grandville resident also had seven assists and was a perfect 19-for-19 in serve receive.

Charlotte's High School volleyball team came out to watch their former player Rylee VanPatten rack up a season-best 13 digs and she was also 19-for-19 in serve receive.

Statistical Leaders:
-- Kills: Holesinger, 19; Karissa Ferry and Audrey Torres 9; VanPatten, 6.
-- Assists: Russell, 45; Ola Nowak, 7.
-- Digs: Nowak, 20; VanPatten, 13; Torres, Russell and Audrey Gower, 10.
-- Blocks: Holesinger and Ferry, 4; VanPatten, Russell and Alena Visnovsky, 2.
-- Aces: Russell, 4; Gower, 3.

Conference play continues for the Raiders on Sept. 20, as the team travels to Muskegon Community College in a makeup match. The match will be live streamed for fans who can't be in attendance on Muskegon CC TV. 

For all the latest news, you can also follow the Raiders on: