Graceland Volleyball Falls to Missouri Valley in Four-Set Battle

MARSHALL, Mo. – Graceland University dropped a hard-fought match to Missouri Valley College on Saturday, falling in four sets, 1-3 (14-25, 24-26, 29-27, 12-25). Despite a resilient third-set victory, the Yellowjackets could not overcome the offensive firepower of the Vikings.

Graceland (1-12, 0-4 Heart of America Athletic Conference) opened the match with a strong defensive presence but struggled to contain Missouri Valley's efficient attack, particularly in the first and fourth sets. Missouri Valley (10-5, 2-0 HAAC) recorded a team hitting percentage of .339, including a match-high .526 in the final set.

Head coach Stew McDole remained optimistic despite the loss, emphasizing the team's potential to turn things around. "We clearly belong. It takes patience to put up with the process. We're all in and I believe this team has all the tools to turn this around," said McDole.

Senior Brenna Crabtree led the Yellowjackets with 21 kills on 47 attempts, hitting .255. Crabtree also contributed defensively with two digs and one block assist. Fellow senior Kaylee Baker was another bright spot, hitting .583 with eight kills on 12 attempts, and added two block assists.

Missouri Valley set the tone early, taking the first set 25-14 behind a .471 team hitting percentage. Graceland regrouped in the second set, pushing Missouri Valley to the brink before narrowly falling 24-26. The Yellowjackets claimed the third set 29-27, capitalizing on a strong serving run from setter Hailey Kauweloa, who recorded two service aces and dished out 19 assists.

Defensively, Graceland managed to slow down Missouri Valley in the third set with six total blocks, led by junior Ella Thomas and senior Kylee Dixon. Thomas also added six kills, while Dixon chipped in three kills and two block assists.

Missouri Valley's Ana Oro led the Vikings with 16 kills, hitting .310, while Ksenija Simun added 13 kills with a .345 hitting percentage. The Vikings' front line out-blocked the Yellowjackets 10-6, and Ana Santos recorded four service aces to keep Graceland off balance throughout the match.

The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back in their next conference matchup this Tuesday at the Morden Center, hosting William Penn University at 7:00 p.m. Graceland will aim to improve its conference record and build momentum in front of the home crowd.