Graceland Volleyball Falls to #20 Central Methodist, 3-0

Fayette, MO — Graceland University's volleyball team faced a challenging match Thursday evening, falling 3-0 to Central Methodist University (25-10, 25-12, 25-12) at Puckett Field House in Fayette, Missouri. The loss moves Graceland to 1-11 overall and 0-3 in Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) play, while Central Methodist improved to 11-3 (1-1 HAAC).

Without head coach Stew McDole, who was sidelined for the second straight match due to a temporary medical issue, the Yellowjackets struggled to find their rhythm against a nationally ranked Central Methodist squad. Despite the defeat, Graceland showed resilience throughout the match and will aim to bounce back as they continue conference play tomorrow.

"It was a challenging night for us. A top-20 team and a missing head coach [himself] with a temporary medical issue. We will keep our heads up and our work ethic high. We don't have much time to hang our heads as we get right back at it tomorrow," McDole said.

Graceland started strong, battling in the early rallies, but Central Methodist's superior attack soon took over. Outside hitter Sierra Kauweloa recorded Graceland's first point of the match with a kill, assisted by setter Sera Tofi. However, the Yellowjackets struggled offensively, hitting -.057 in the set with 10 errors.

Central Methodist's Joana Milho and Mia Trankler led the Eagles with powerful attacks that Graceland's blockers, including Kaylee Baker and Grace Jensen, had difficulty containing. The Eagles surged to a 10-3 lead, fueled by service aces from Vanessa Cantoni. Graceland called a timeout at 9-2 but couldn't recover, dropping the first set 25-10.

The Yellowjackets showed signs of life in the second set, gaining a 3-0 advantage early on, courtesy of kills by Jensen and Brenna Crabtree, with assists from Hailey Kauweloa. Graceland maintained a slim lead until midway through the set, when Central Methodist capitalized on service errors and attack miscues by the Yellowjackets.

Central Methodist pulled ahead 7-6 after Graceland struggled with blocking and serve receive. The Eagles built momentum with a balanced offensive attack from Kelsie Walker and Annabelle Maassen, stretching the lead to 14-7. Despite a brief rally from Graceland, Central Methodist closed out the set 25-12.

Graceland's offense continued to face challenges in the third set, hitting .000 as they managed just seven kills. Sierra Kauweloa and Ella Thomas led the Yellowjackets with key points early, but errors and missed opportunities allowed Central Methodist to take control once again.

The Eagles' defense, led by Hailey Dreier and Kyndra Collier, stifled Graceland's hitters at the net, with Dreier recording multiple blocks on Graceland's outside hitters. Central Methodist closed out the match with a series of kills from Lauren Strange and Milho, securing a 25-12 win in the final set.

Despite the defeat, Graceland showed moments of strong play at the net and will look to sharpen their skills as they head into their next match.

Graceland will face Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri, on September 21 at 2 p.m. as they continue their HAAC schedule. With limited time to reflect, the Yellowjackets aim to regroup and put forth a stronger performance in tomorrow's contest.