OCT. 15, 2026, BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – The No. 15 Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team continued its dominant run through conference play Thursday, sweeping Lake Michigan College 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-23) on the road.
The Raiders improved to 15-5 overall and remained atop the conference standings at 10-0, while the Red Hawks fell to 11-20 overall and 4-6 in conference play. GRCC has now won 33 consecutive matches against Lake Michigan College and has earned a straight-set victory in 14 of its 15 wins this season.
GRCC faced an early 3-0 deficit in the opening set before responding with six consecutive points to seize control. The Raiders never looked back, taking the set 25-15 behind a dominant performance from reigning conference Player of the Week Kirstyn Lothschultz, who recorded eight of the team's 16 kills.
The Raiders carried that momentum into the second set, posting their best hitting percentage of the match at .273 with 15 kills. Kaylee Kranz led the way with five kills in the set, hitting an impressive .625. Kranz also delivered the set-winning kill to give GRCC a 25-16 victory and a 2-0 lead.
The third set proved to be the most challenging, as the Raiders shuffled their lineup and faced the possibility of running short on substitutions. GRCC trailed for much of the set, including at 17-19, before Payton Taylor stepped to the service line and helped the Raiders regain the lead with five consecutive serves, highlighted by her match-high fourth ace.
GRCC built a 23-20 advantage, but Lake Michigan College rallied to tie the score at 23. Vanessa Walker responded with a kill to put the Raiders at match point before Avery Powers and Ella Thayer teamed up for a match-ending block, sealing the 25-23 win.
Despite hitting just .111 as a team in the final set, GRCC leaned on Lothschultz, who recorded seven kills while hitting .500 in the frame.
Lothschultz led all players with 17 kills and a match-high .433 hitting percentage, adding three blocks. Walker contributed nine kills, 10 assists and two blocks, while Kranz finished with eight kills and three blocks. Powers added five kills and a match-high six blocks. Taylor directed the Raiders' offense with a team-high 19 assists while contributing to GRCC's third-set comeback.
Defensively, Olivia Inthout led the Raiders with a match-high 13 digs and added 13 receptions. Thayer recorded seven digs and a team-high 20 receptions without an error. GRCC's serve-receive unit was especially sharp, committing just one reception error throughout the match.
The Raiders will return home next week for two matches, beginning Oct. 20 against Kalamazoo Valley Community College. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
