By Gabe Amy
Monday, Oct. 13 the Grand Rapids Community College Volleyball team swept the Montcalm Community College Centurions 3-0. The Raiders improved to a record of 15-2, with Monday’s win being the 13th consecutive victory.
The game started back and forth with GRCC and MCC alternating points for the first eight sets. Momentum swung the Raiders way after a blistering ace from freshman Vanessa Walker allowing them to pull away winning the first set 15-25.
The second set GRCC easily won by 10 points.
The third set was the most competitive, forcing GRCC Head Coach Chip Will to call timeout as his team trailed 9-4, the 5-point deficit being the largest advantage MCC had all match. Will recalled having to urge the team to refocus.
“The hardest thing to do sometimes is to win the first two sets and put a team away in the third,” Will said.
After the timeout the Raiders crawled their way back to tie the final set 11-11. What followed was a gritty back and forth, the score being tied at 12,13,14,15,17, and then 18. After which GRCC was able to score consecutive points bringing the score to 18-20 Montcalm Head Coach Kara Youngs called a late timeout. The reprieve was not enough to rally the Centurions as GRCC would snuff them out winning the set 20-25 and consequently the game.
Coach Will applauded the team after the win. “I think we served and passed really well and our offense was able to execute because of it,” Will said.
Will was also quick to describe the significance of the win with GRCC volleyball alumnus Amanda Glaza in attendance. “We had our old assistant Amanda Glaza here tonight so I wanted to make sure we performed well in front of a Raider legend.”
Amanda Glaza played for the Raiders in 2013 and 2014. Glaza shared her thoughts on the continued success of the program years later. “I really enjoy seeing the success the program has had over the years,” Glaza said.
The GRCC women’s volleyball will look to extend their win streak to 14 when they go on the road to face North Central Michigan College on Monday Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
