LAMONI, IOWA – Grand View traveled down to Lamoni, IA to face Graceland University in their last regular season game of the season. The Vikings came in with a chance to seal the Regular Season Heart Championship Title with a win.
Grand View trailed just behind the Yellowjackets for the early part of the first set. The Vikings had early kills by Vitoria Campos Mello to get within one, and two kills from Ellie Dougherty tied the match at 8. Jocelyn Barrett joined the fun with her first kill of the match and the first lead for Grand View. GV didn't look back on this set. Dougherty continued to attack well, finishing with 6 kills in the first set. The assist came from setter Juliana Neves, who tracked 11 assists in the first set. Maiah Kalima-Izumi played a great first set as well, earning 10 digs and a service ace. The Vikings earned a 25-15 win to take set one and gain the momentum in Lamoni.
The next set started with a swing from Brooklyn Roder that found the open court. The next few points came on errors by either team and Grand View let up two aces to give up the lead. Mya Clapp earned a huge kill to get GV going back in the right direction, followed by an Aydia Mayotte ace! The Vikings worked the score to 7-6 before Graceland took the lead back on solid kills and another ace. Dougherty got involved on offense for the first time at 8-9, with a huge kill, assisted by Neves. Neves also contributed to a kill closely after, making that two kills on the night for the designated setter. Campos Mello found a second set kill around the midway point, along with No. 23, Barrett. Credit to Graceland for continuing to answer, and the Vikings ended up dropping set two, 19-25.
In set three, Campos Mello took the lead with two early kills, along with Kaylee Stalder! The Vikings went on an early run with Mayotte at the back line, which included an ace. The Vikings forced a Yellowjacket timeout at 11-6. Shortly after the stoppage, Dougherty earned a kill and GV picked up more points on GU errors to lead 14-8. Another Dougherty kill followed, and Lindsey Hrbek pumped up the GV bench with a solo block at 16-9. Campos Mello earned three more kills in the next four Viking points, getting 11 kills on the night to this point. GV earned two more points before a Graceland timeout. Grand View's Barrett finished the game serving, earning a kill and Dougherty finishing another swing. GV took this set 25-15, and 25 points remaining for a conference title.
GV had no plans to see a fifth set tonight. Grand View's Clarissa Hasty had a run at the server spot with an ace, but a takeover came from senior Vitoria Campos Mello. She gained 5 kills in 6 points during the run, and a Graceland timeout was taken at 10-3. Grand View went on another run shortly after, on the service of Kalima-Izumi. Stalder and Barrett both found kills in this run. Campos Mello was good from everywhere in this set, including two aces to take the Vikings up 17-4. All Grand View in this final set. Mayotte earned another kill and the senior, Ellie Dougherty put another kill down for the red and black. 22-5 the score now, and the Vikings could see the finish line. The team was on their feet for the final point and celebrated the 25-11 victory as HEART OF AMERICA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Grand View will host the first game of the Heart of America Conference tournament on November 8th. The time and team is to be determined in the coming days.
ONE TEAM ONE FAMILY | HEART CHAMPIONS
