In a remarkable display of skill and teamwork, the Grand Valley Mustangs continued their unbeaten streak in the Northeast Athletic Conference (NAC) by sweeping the Cardinal Huskies 25-9, 25-20, 25-17 on Thursday night. This victory not only marks the Mustangs' fourth straight win but also solidifies their position at the top of the NAC standings.
The match, held at Grand Valley's home court, showcased the Mustangs' dominance as they jumped to an impressive 15-1 lead at the outset. With this win, Grand Valley improved its overall record to 6-2 and maintained a perfect 4-0 in conference play, while the Huskies fell to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the NAC.
Senior Cloe Turk, a key player for the Mustangs, expressed her team's confidence heading into the season. "We knew coming into the year that we could have a really good season," Turk said. The Mustangs, who did not have any seniors the previous year, returned all their players, allowing them to build on the foundation they established last season.
The Mustangs' success can be attributed to their strong defensive play and a focus on minimizing unforced errors. However, it was their serving game that truly shone against the Huskies. Turk contributed significantly with 10 serving points during an 11-0 run that decisively secured the first set. Her performance continued into the second set, where she added four more points during a critical 5-0 run.
Head coach Abby Crooks emphasized the importance of serving in their training sessions. "Serving has been something we’ve worked on a lot in practice this year. We want to be a tough serving team so we can get teams out of system, and it really worked out for us tonight," Crooks remarked.
Despite the Huskies' efforts to rally back, including narrowing the gap to 18-15 in the third set, the Mustangs maintained their composure. With Riley Rowland at the service line, Grand Valley finished strong, closing the match with a 5-0 run. Notably, Rogers made significant contributions with back-to-back kills that brought the score to 24-20, followed by a series of blocks from the Mustangs' front line that ultimately sealed the victory.
In terms of individual performances, Turk recorded three aces, 16 assists, and 11 digs, while Rogers added four aces, 10 kills, and nine digs. Bre Rowland also made her mark with seven kills and nine digs, and Riley Rowland contributed with 12 digs and three kills.
Looking ahead, the Mustangs are set to continue their winning streak with upcoming matches against Bristol on Tuesday and Bloomfield on Wednesday. Following these road games, they will return home for a special Friday night matchup against Maplewood at Reel Stadium, where the seventh-grade match will kick off the evening's events at 4:30 p.m., followed by eighth grade, JV, and varsity matches.
Leave a Comment