Grace College Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The remarkable season for Grace's volleyball team continued on Wednesday with a thrilling road win at Marian.

The Lancers lost the first two sets, then rallied to win the next three sets for a 3-2 reverse sweep victory. 

Grace (16-3, 4-1 Crossroads League) continued their torrid start and are now tied for the second-most victories in the NAIA with 16.

The first set was closely contested until midway through as the score was knotted at 14-14. But four points in a row from the Knights gave Marian breathing room, and the Knights quickly sped away for a 25-18 win.

The second set was similar. Grace led 15-13, but Marian's 6-1 run changed the tide. The Lancers traded points down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to make up the deficit, and Marian held on to win 25-21.

With their backs against the wall, Grace's defense unleashed three straight gems. The Lancers held Marian to under a .090 team hitting percentage for the rest of the match, unlocking a comeback to remember.

In the third set, Grace raced in front 12-5 thanks to three kills from Savannah Clawson and two from Molly Hofmann.

Marian managed to recover and tied the score at 14-14. But Grace countered with five unanswered points, aided by two more kills from Clawson. Clawson ended the set on an ace as Grace won 25-18.

In the fourth set, Anna Elkin powered the Lancers. She racked up six kills in the set, including three over the final rallies. Grace blitzed Marian with a 10-point win, setting up a dramatic fifth set.

Grace won the first two points of the tiebreaker, but Marian countered with a 5-1 run.

The Knights still led 9-7, but a kill from Abby Leffring and an ace by Clawson evened the score. 

Shortly afterwards, Elkin collected two more kills and Leah Henderson and Callie Jo Celichowski combined for a block.

Marian blew through both timeouts, but no stoppage could slow down Grace's momentum. Elkin added another late kill for good measure, and the Lancers secured the reverse sweep with a 15-12 victory.

Elkin led all players with 19 kills, and Hofmann added 13 kills on a sizzling .423 percentage.

Clawson racked up 10 kills, 13 digs, 3 aces and 2 block assists, and Reagan Owens posted a match-high 22 digs.

Reese McCutchan (27 assists, 11 digs) and Carsyn Witt (23 assists, 9 digs, 2 aces) directed an efficient offensive evening.

As a team, Grace hit 60 kills on a .218 percentage. The Lancers bettered the Knights in kills, assists, aces, blocks and digs.

Grace will return home on Saturday for a Top-25 tilt. The Lancers will host No. 19 Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 3 p.m. at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.