Women’s Volleyball Takes on St. Ambrose in Season Opener

Lamoni, Iowa - The Graceland University women's volleyball team opened their season against the St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees. The Yellowjackets were defeated in four sets, 3-1 for a 0-1 start on the season.

Graceland (0-1) vs. St. Ambrose (1-0)
Set 1: Graceland 17 | St. Ambrose 25
Graceland would put a 6-4 lead on the board; Malia Kelly would get the first GU kill, followed by back-to-back kills from Brenna Crabtree, and Jenthe Van Kastel would get her first collegiate kill from Sera Tofi. The Fighting Bees would answer to take a seven-point lead (16-9). The Yellowjackets would close the gap to two points (16-14) off the service by Sierra Kauweloa – with points from Brenna Crabtree (block/kill), Kaylee Baker (kill) and S. Kauweloa ace. St. Ambrose would find a run and hold to take the first set.

Set 2: Graceland 25 | St. Ambrose 27
St. Ambrose would work to a 19-9 advantage, and a bad set would give Graceland's Madi Bratlie the serve, followed by an ace. Off Bratlie's serve, GU would shrink their deficit to five points, points from Brenna Crabtree (kill), assisted by Hailey Kauweloa, Kylee Dixon, and Jenthe Van Kastel (blocks). A kill by Van Kastel would bring Graceland back into serving for a seven-point jump from the serve by Kariana Hernandez. Both teams would stay even and trade points. The Fighting Bees would snatch the remaining three points for the second set.

Set 3: Graceland 25 | St. Ambrose 21
Both teams would continue their drive and traded points. Graceland would get the edge from a Sierra Kauweloa kill assisted by Hailey Kauweloa, followed by kills from Malia Kelly and Kaylee Baker. Baker would steal the set point with a kill.

Set 4: Graceland 24 | St. Ambrose 26
The competition was on fire, with both teams staying neck and neck, with Graceland trailing. The Yellowjackets would even the score with a key block from Kylee Dixon and Kaylee Baker (23-23). St. Ambrose would double down for back-to-back kills to take the match with a 3-1 score.

Graceland Leaders -
DIGS: Shelby Jabour – 20
KILLS: Brenna Crabtree – 19
SERVICE ACES: Madi Bratlie – 4
BLOCKS: Kaylee Baker – 4.5 (2 – solo / 5 – assists)

St. Ambrose Leaders –
DIGS: Kenia Diaz Vega – 27
KILLS: Grace Beitzel – 21
SERVICE ACES: Four Players – 1
BLOCKS: Trenyce Bonner – 1.5

Up Next:

The Yellowjackets will be back on the court when they travel to Marshall, Mo. where they will compete in the Missouri Valley Invite on Friday, August 23. They take on the Tabor College Bluejays at 7:00 pm.

-Yellowjackets-