OCT. 23, 2026, BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The No. 13 Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team secured at least a share of its 16th conference championship Tuesday night, sweeping Kellogg Community College 3-0 to extend its winning streak to nine matches.
The Raiders improved to 18-5 overall and a perfect 13-0 in conference play with one league match remaining. The victory also marked GRCC's 34th consecutive win over Kellogg, with each of the last six meetings ending in a Raiders sweep.
GRCC won the opening set 25-15, survived a dramatic second-set rally to take a 27-25 decision, and closed out the match with a 25-20 victory in the third.
The Raiders were nearly flawless offensively in the first set, hitting a match-best .387 with just one attacking error. Seven different players recorded at least one kill as GRCC built a lead of as many as 11 points. The Raiders did commit six service errors in the set but still controlled the action from start to finish.
The second set proved to be the night's biggest challenge. GRCC appeared to be in command with a 21-13 advantage, but the Bruins fought their way back and eventually tied the score at 24. Charlee Cochran stepped to the service line, and three-time conference Player of the Week Kirstyn Lothschultz delivered her sixth kill of the set to help the Raiders escape with a 27-25 win and take a two-set lead.
Kellogg continued to apply pressure in the third, holding the lead throughout much of the set and going ahead by as many as four points. GRCC rallied to tie the score at 18 following an ace by Payton Taylor, then took control down the stretch to finish the sweep with a 25-20 win despite hitting just .074 in the final set.
The Raiders finished with 36 kills while hitting .240 for the match. They also recorded eight blocks and eight service aces.
Lothschultz led the attack with 11 kills, a .276 hitting percentage and three aces. She also recorded a career-high 11 digs, earning her first collegiate double-double.
Avery Powers added seven kills while hitting a match-best .417 and contributing three blocks. Zella Hutchings finished with four kills while hitting .364 and led all players with five blocks.
Taylor paced the Raiders with 16 assists and added three aces, while Ella Thayer led the defensive effort with a team-high 14 digs.
GRCC will have an opportunity to claim the conference championship outright on sophomore night Wednesday, Oct. 29, when it hosts Southwestern Michigan College. The Raiders defeated SMC in five sets in their previous meeting, and the Roadrunners enter the rematch at 23-9 overall and 12-1 in conference play.
Southwestern Michigan has won eight consecutive matches since its last loss to GRCC, setting the stage for a decisive final conference matchup.
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