Grace College Athletics

WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace College's volleyball team improved its win-streak to seven games with a 3-1 win over Huntington on Wednesday night.

The Lancers (10-2, 2-0 Crossroads League) dropped the first set before rallying to take the final three sets of the match. Grace had a dramatic win in set three overcoming an eight-point deficit to clinch the set in dramatic fashion.

The first set started with consecutive points for the Lancers. Huntington (2-8, 0-2 CL)  answered back with four-straight points of their own.

The Lancers and Foresters were dead even through the middle of the set with a kill from Anna Elkin helping Grace to a narrow 12-11 lead.

The next 11 points were traded back and forth with neither squad able to string two points together.

Grace led 23-21 before Huntington scored the final four points of the frame to steal the opening set 25-23 from Grace.

The second set saw the Lancers start strong. Elkin and Molly Hofmann each had kills and a trio of misplaced attacks from the Foresters had the Lancers ahead 5-1. Grace's lead would slowly dwindle though as Huntington tied the game at 11.

Elkin and Leah Henderson each had kills and the Lancers scored three-straight points with Reese McCutchan serving to put them ahead 19-16. Grace ended the frame off with four of the final six points coming from different players to take the second set 25-20.

Levyn Snow opened the third set with a kill but little else went right for the Lancers in the early stages. Huntington burst ahead 10-2 prompting a timeout from Grace head coach Katie Hill.

The timeout seemed to settle the Lancer squad as they rattled off six of the next eight points. Hofmann had half of the Lancers points during the run.

Huntington still enjoyed a six-point lead at 17-11 but the Lancers were poised for a comeback. Henderson and Callie Jo Celichowski each sent down multiple thunderous kills and Savannah Clawson added one to her tally as the Lancers pulled to within a point at 19-18.

Elkin pushed the Lancers ahead and the Lancers took a strangled hold on the set with a kill from Henderson and an ace from Olivia Martinez. An attack error from Huntington gave the Lancers the set at 25-22.

The fourth set, which proved to be the last, was another competitive affair. Grace surrendered the first two points before a kill from Snow got the Lancers on the board.

At the middle of the set Grace held a 12-10 lead. The Lancers then score four unanswered with kills from Hofmann and Henderson to put the Lancers ahead 16-10.

Huntington clawed back with two points but the Lancers would not be denied. McCutchan had a crafty kill from the setter position and Carsyn Witt sealed the game with an ace.

The Lancers hit an efficient .211 from the field while holding the Foresters to .127. The Lancers were led in kills by Elkin (13), Hofmann (11) and Henderson (10). Henderson had six blocks and Reagan Owens had 25 digs.

Grace will be back in action this weekend at the Liz Lykowski Memorial Tournament.