Wolverines win four in weekend tournament
By Garrett Gess · Staff Writer
Grove City College’s women’s volleyball team went undefeated last weekend, winning four matches at the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge in Latrobe.
The Wolverines took down Wooster and Penn State Behrend on Friday and swept Carlow and RIT the following Saturday. Grove City is now 5-0 to start the season.
Last year, the Wolverines flew under the radar throughout the regular season, going 9-7 in conference play and entering the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) playoffs as the No. 4 seed from the North Division. Once in the postseason, Grove City went on the road to knock off W&J in the quarterfinals before sweeping Thiel in the semifinals and Hiram in the title match.
After winning their first PAC title since 2001, the Wolverines now hold all the aces to compete for this year’s championship. The team is led by a star-studded senior cast, including outside hitters Sarah Hart and Alayna Dorst, middle blocker Kendra Klusch, right side/outside hitter Lily Lagaras and setter/defensive specialist Sarah Harris. This year’s squad is looking to take another big step after last year’s success.
“The senior class this year is unique in our ability to lead because of our experience with the various highs and lows of our careers here in the program,” Dorst, last year’s PAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, said. “We have been at each step of the process and know what it takes to succeed in the PAC and beyond, so we’ve been able to speak into the younger players and emphasize what we believe to be crucial for a successful culture and court. The most important aspect by far: keeping Christ as our focus.”
Grove City is hitting .269 as a team, with 187 kills and 53 service aces. Hart, Dorst, Klusch and Lagaras lead the Wolverines in kills, each with more than 20. Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Ripple has 19, junior middle blocker Lily Pool has 14 and sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist Annie Atwood has 13.
Junior setter/right-side hitter Brooke Manfull leads in assists with 63, followed by Harris with 49. Sophomore setter Eliana Porta has contributed 19 assists, and freshman defensive specialist Reagan Riordan has recorded 10.
The Wolverines’ defense has held strong, surrendering only one set through five matches, and holding opponents to a .039 hitting percentage. Junior defensive specialist Lily Wojtala leads the team in digs with 50. Freshman outside hitter Caitlin Penola follows with 34, and Manfull and Dorst tally 27 and 25 digs, respectively. At the net, Klusch has led the Wolverines with 10 solo blocks. Pool has four, followed by Ripple and Lagaras with three each.
Grove City has the momentum to build on last year’s success as the competition intensifies throughout the season, which can give it an edge, especially once PAC matchups begin.
“Our training since last fall, both on the court and in our mental game, has centered around three things,” Dorst said. “First, remaining diligent in our training and not being complacent, knowing we achieved our goal last season. Second, holding fast to what ‘our game’ is, what Grove City volleyball does and is about, and not trying to do something extra or outside of what we know works for us. Third, and most importantly, keeping God as our central purpose, motivation and identity.”
The Wolverines began a long road stretch Tuesday at Muskingum and will travel to Brockport, N.Y. this weekend for a tournament, facing St. Lawrence, Brockport State and Hilbert.
