DUBUQUE, IOWA – The Grand View Women's Volleyball team faced a challenging Heart of America Conference match against Clarke University Tuesday night. Despite falling behind in the first two sets, the Vikings rallied to claim a hard-fought victory with set scores of 19-25, 32-34, 25-17, 25-20, and 15-11. 

The opening set featured intense play from both sides, with long rallies defining the action. Clarke took an early lead, but Grand View fought back, sparked by a kill from Ellie Dougherty and a service ace from Clarissa Hasty. Despite their efforts, the Vikings dropped the first set,19-25, with Sydney Beasley leading the team with three kills.

Long rallies carried over into the second set, showcasing commendable defensive efforts from Chevy Wagner-Chun, Maiah Kalima-Izumi, and Anna Takushi. Combined with offensive successes from Ellie Dougherty and Sydney Beasley, Grand View held the lead until the 21-21 mark. Clarke's offensive pressure allowed them to crawl back from the early deficit. Past regulation, both teams exchanged points in a resilient offensive battle.

Ultimately, the Vikings fell to the Pride, 32-34, with Ellie Dougherty leading with six of the team's nineteen kills.
Middle hitter Sydney Beasley stepped up once again in the third set, tallying six kills. The Vikings pulled ahead early, establishing a strong nine-point lead, but the Pride answered with an 8-0 run led by their service pressure. However, Clarke's errors and Grand View's .423 hitting percentage secured a 25-17 set win for the Vikings.

With momentum on their side, Grand View looked to set themselves up for a late sweep with a fourth-set win. The Vikings led the entire set, thanks to balanced net play from Brooklyn Roder (6 kills), Ellie Dougherty (5 kills), Sydney Beasley (4 kills), and Kaylee Stalder (3 kills). The Pride cut their deficit to one point late in the set, but the Vikings handled the pressure with ease, winning 25-20.

Sensing the chance for another five-set comeback win, the Vikings were propelled by back-to-back service aces from Chevy Wagner-Chun. The blocking duo of Jenna Bentz and Sydney Beasley followed with consecutive combined blocks, tipping the battle in Grand View's favor. The Vikings serving strength decisively sealed the comeback victory, with a final set score of 15-11.

GAME NOTES

• The Vikings recorded 65 kills on 191 attempts, reaching a hitting percentage of .204.
• Sydney Beasley topped the offense, recording a season-high 20 kills, and contributed 7 blocks.
• Ellie Dougherty made a significant impact with 17 kills, consistently finding ways to give Grand View an offensive edge.
• Jenna Bentz recorded a season-best 56 assists out of the team's total of 63 assist.
• The Vikings once again showcased their strong serving skills with 15 service aces, led by Clarissa Hasty (4), followed by Anna Takushi (3) and Chevy Wagner-Chun (3).
• Grand View displayed strong defense, highlighted by Chevy Wagner-Chun's 28 digs, Maiah Kalima-Izumi's 16 digs, and Clarissa Hasty's 14 digs.

UP NEXT
Grand View will return home to host Central Methodist University this coming Friday, October 25^th, at 7:00 PM in their annual Dig Pink Game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.