Men’s Volleyball Splits Opening Day at the 2024 Heart of America Challenge
St. Louis, Mo. – The Graceland University Men's Volleyball team opened their season at the 2024 Heart of America Challenge, taking on the Central Christian College Tigers and the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes. Graceland split on the day, taking the 3-0 victory against the Tigers and falling to the Coyotes 3-0. Starting the year 1-1 on the season.
Game 1: Graceland (1-0) vs. Central Christian College Tigers (0-1)
Set 1: Graceland 25 | Central Christian 17
Central Christian would put points on the board first to lead by three (3-0). Sean Malaki would put the first points up for Graceland. The Yellowjackets would even the score from a kill by Ryan Schneider from Malaki. Graceland would work in a 5-1 run to take the lead, with points from Sam Johnson (ace) and Isaac Elliott (two kills/ace). The Tigers would work to close their deficit to three points (16-13), and Hansen Salausa-Kaawa would break the run with a kill. Graceland would take six of the remaining nine points for set one; Malakai Christian and Schneider would contribute.
Set 2: Graceland 25 | Central Christian 15
The Yellowjackets set in their groove and would push their advantage to five with a 7-1 scoring run, kills from Isaac Elliott, Ryan Schneider and Sam Johnson and a block by Malakai Christian and Elliott. The Tiger would answer to put two on the board. Graceland would retaliate with a second eight-point jump to leave by nine points (16-7). The second set would end off the service by Johnson and a kill from Elliott.
Set 3: Graceland 25 | Central Christian 10
Graceland would find their groove and lead early with a 12-2 jump; the run would start from the service of Logan Book (7-0-point run). Graceland would hold the Tigers to 10 points in the set for the victory. The Yellowjackets had a hitting percentage of 0.421, with 11 kills on 19 attempts.
Graceland Leaders-
DIGS: Logan Book – 7
KILLS: Isaac Elliott – 10
SERVICE ACES: Axel Rasquero – 5
BLOCKS: Isaac Elliott / Malakai Christian – 2
Central Christian College Leaders-
DIGS: Erick Yang – 4
KILLS: Joel Creary – 6
SERVICE ACES: Payton Collins – 4
BLOCKS: Erick Yang – 1
Game 2: Graceland (1-1) vs. Kansas Wesleyan (1-1)
Set 1: Graceland 17 | Kansas Wesleyan 25
Both teams started the match competitively and would trade points. The Coyotes would take the first lead with a 6-1 run (15-9). A kill from Ryan Schneider from Aiden Martinez would push a three-point jump and close the deficit to three points (18-15); an ace by Roy Rossello would contribute. Kansa Wesleyan would snatch 6 of the remaining seven points to take set one.
Set 2: Graceland 16 | Kansas Wesleyan 25
Kansas Wesleyan would pull an early 10-3 lead over Graceland; Hansen Salausa-Kaawa (two kills) and Sam Johnson (kill) would put the first three points for Graceland up. The Coyotes would hold their lead to take the second set.
Set 3: Graceland 18 | Kansas Wesleyan 25
Graceland would come out to take the 5-3 lead with blocks by Ryan Schneider, Hansen Salausa-Kaawa and Isaac Elliott. Kansas Wesleyan would answer with a six-point jump (11-8). Late in the set, the Coyotes would close their gap and take the lead; their run would be broken by an Isaac Elliott kill and blocks by Malakai Christian and Sonny Tofi. The Coyotes would hold their advantage to take the final set.
Graceland Leaders-
DIGS: Logan Book – 10
KILLS: Isaac Elliott – 6
SERVICE ACES: Axel Rasquero / Roy Rossello – 1
BLOCKS: Malakai Christian – 2
Kansas Wesleyan Leaders-
DIGS: Jeremy Lapeze – 7
KILLS: Justin Burras – 8
SERVICE ACES: Three Players – 1
BLOCKS: Cooper Stepp – 4
Up Next:
The Men's Volleyball team will continue to day two of the Heart of America Challenge on Saturday, January 27. The Yellowjackets will take on the St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees and the Calumet College of St. Joseph Crimson Wave. Game time is 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
-Yellowjackets-