DES MOINES, IA – The Vikings took on No. 10 Missouri Baptist yesterday in the "Heart Game of the Week". This conference matchup had two teams with only three losses combined, and no losses in conference, to this point. Something had to give though, and Grand View was up for the challenge. GV delivered an outstanding performance to put away the Spartans in just 4 sets and moved to 15-1 on the season.
SET 1
Grand View couldn't have drawn up a better start to this one. Grand View rallied five straight to start the game as Juliana Neves served. The Viking's Brooklyn Roder and Vitoria Campos Mello combined for two different blocks and Mariana de Carvalho found her first kill. Things got tighter at 10-7 before another GV run! Jocelyn Barrett delivered a kill and Ellie Dougherty followed. This expanded the lead to 14-7. Campos Mello and Dougherty found kills later in the set as well, and the Vikings took care of set one, 25-17.
SET 2
The nerves settled for both teams in the second set, and the game's competitiveness ramped up. The Spartans got out to a small lead and held the advantage for a while. Grand View clawed back on strong kills by Campos Mello and a huge block from Carvalho and Roder ignited the energy in Charles Johnson Wellness Center. Neves delivered an ace to follow and gave GV the first lead of the set, 10-9. More back and forth followed as two outstanding teams were in a chess match. More timely kills from Carvalho and Campos Mello put the Vikings in position for a second set win. One of the largest roars of the night came from a block by setter, Neves! The Spartans didn't go anywhere though and tied the set at 23. Then 24. Carvalho found the attack to put them up one, but a block by Neves and Jocelyn Barrett sealed the deal 26-24.
SET 3
Another tight contest came in set three. Dougherty found two early kills in the set and a block assist with Roder. Maiah Kalima-Izumi delivered with two straight aces just under the midway point of the set and GV led 11-8. Barrett found kills in crucial moments all night and pounded another one just following. Carvalho received sets from Neves and Aydia Mayotte for back-to-back flushes. Grand View was up the majority of the set, until the waning moments. The Spartans took the lead at 22-21 and extended it on an attacking error for the Vikings. GV tied it up at 23's but a timely ace ended the set 23-25, to force a fourth.
SET 4
Grand View let the sweep slip late, but they had no plans of going to five. The Vikings started on an ace from Kalima, then followed by another slam by Barrett. Dougherty found two more outside attacks in a row to put the momentum in GV's favor early. Neves found Campos Mello for a couple kills and then delivered an ace to take the advantage to 10-5. Grand View stayed focused as the moment was getting bigger. Dougherty found another kill near the halfway mark, proving to have breakout set 4. Campos Mello found an ace to put the Vikings up 17-10 and the end mark was in sight. Carvalho sent off two vicious attacks shortly after, and Campos Mello joined with an attack of her own. Up 22-17, Carvalho sent another kill. Barrett got the call from Neves next, setting up match point for the Vikings. An error from the Spartans ended the night, 25-18 and 3-1 Vikings.
MATCH NOTES
UP NEXT
Grand View will be back on the floor tomorrow against William Woods. That game will begin Saturday, 9/20, at 2:00 PM!
