GRINNELL – Both Iowa Wesleyan College and Grinnell College took turns gaining the upper hand in the match, but it was the Pioneers who got the last blow in as the Tigers fell in five sets in a non-conference match Wednesday night.
Grinnell won a deciding fifth set by a 15-10 score, ending a match in which both teams were convincing in winning alternate sets. The Pioneers won the first and third sets by scores of 25-16 and 25-17, respectively, while the Tigers won the second set 25-16 and sent the match to a deciding fifth set with a 25-15 win in the fourth set.
The closest sets in the match were the third and fifth ones, both of which were won by Grinnell. IWC actually held a 16-13 lead in the third set before the Pioneers scored 11 straight points to seize control. The final set also was close until Grinnell finished with the final three points of the match, including the final of 19 kills by Claire Reeder, who out-dueled IWC’s Megan McVey (So.-Fort Worth, Texas) for match honors in that category.
The Tigers controlled the second and fourth sets, taking the lead for good early on and stretching it out midway through the sets, making use of a number of attack errors by Grinnell. IWC also played more error-free in the second and fourth sets, committing just 12 attack errors in those two sets compared to a total of 23 errors in the first and third sets.
McVey led the Tigers with a career-high 18 kills, while B.J. Wagy (Jr.-Cedar Rapids, Iowa) added 11 kills and six block assists. Allegra Tennis (Jr.-Madison, Wis.) added nine kills and four blocks, while Kendra Zimmerman (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis.) led the team in assists with 41 and digs with 20.
IWC returns to the court again Thursday night for another non-conference match. The Tigers host Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College at 7 p.m. at Ruble Arena for the team’s second home match of the season.
For more information regarding the IWC volleyball program or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score Grinnell 3 IWC 2
