Volleyball Falls in Straight Sets to Missouri Valley in Heart Play

LAMONI, Iowa – The Graceland University women's volleyball team dropped a Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) matchup Saturday afternoon, falling in straight sets to Missouri Valley College at the Morden Center. The Vikings earned the sweep by scores of 25-22, 25-20, 25-20.

With the result, Graceland moves to 4-13 overall and 0-6 in Heart play, while Missouri Valley improved to 7-8 overall and 2-4 in conference competition.

Missouri Valley relied on balanced attacking and timely serving to secure the victory. The Vikings finished with 39 kills on 106 attempts, hitting .208 as a team, while also producing five service aces and six team blocks. Graceland countered with a steady effort but was limited to 38 kills on 121 swings for a .157 team attack percentage. The Yellowjackets totaled two aces and 11.0 total blocks in the match.

Set One: Missouri Valley 25, Graceland 22
Graceland opened the first set with strong defensive play at the net, as Grace Jensen and Kylee Dixon combined for multiple block points early. The Yellowjackets held a 19-14 advantage following a kill from Kaylee Baker, but Missouri Valley stormed back with a 6-1 run fueled by Juliana Oliveira and Olivia Randolph. A late block by Laura Tavares closed the set for the Vikings, 25-22.

Set Two: Missouri Valley 25, Graceland 20
The second frame was tightly contested through the midway point. Graceland grabbed a 7-3 lead behind a service ace from Kariana Hernandez Cruz and a kill from Evie Caresia. Missouri Valley responded by siding out consistently and pulling ahead with four straight kills from Randolph and Oliveira. Despite kills from Ella Thomas and Baker, the Yellowjackets were unable to slow Missouri Valley's side-out efficiency, falling 25-20.

Set Three: Missouri Valley 25, Graceland 20
Graceland again started strong, pulling even at 10-10 after kills by Caresia and Jensen. Missouri Valley capitalized on a series of service runs from setter Kellen Fitzgerald, who added two aces in the set. The Yellowjackets trailed 21-19 after a Baker kill but could not close the gap. The Vikings sealed the match with back-to-back points from Randolph and Oliveira to take the third set, 25-20.

Graceland Individual Highlights:

• Kaylee Baker led the attack with 8 kills on 15 attempts (.333), adding one dig.

• Evie Caresia tallied 8 kills on 13 attempts (.462), tying Baker for the team lead in kills.

• Ella Thomas contributed 7 kills with a .273 hitting percentage and added one block assist.

• Grace Jensen matched Thomas with 7 kills and provided 11 digs and two block assists.

• Kylee Dixon posted 5.5 total points, finishing with 2 kills, 1 solo block, and 5 block assists.

• Kariana Hernandez Cruz directed the offense with 14 assists, one ace, and four digs.

• Shaeniah La Fountain provided back row coverage, recording 14 digs and one ace.

Missouri Valley Individual Highlights:

• Olivia Randolph paced the Vikings with 10 kills on .273 hitting, supported by 18 digs.

• Juliana Oliveira added 9 kills and 11 digs with a .250 attack percentage.

• Stacy Maimur registered 5 kills and 2 block assists for 6.0 total points.

• Laura Tavares notched 6 kills and 3 total blocks, including one solo block.

• Setter Kellen Fitzgerald dished out 19 assists and 2 service aces, guiding the Vikings' offense.

Team Statistical Comparison:

• Kills: Missouri Valley 39, Graceland 38

• Attack Percentage: Missouri Valley .208, Graceland .157

• Assists: Missouri Valley 37, Graceland 35

• Service Aces: Missouri Valley 5, Graceland 2

• Blocks: Missouri Valley 6.0, Graceland 11.0

• Digs: Missouri Valley 55, Graceland 46

The Yellowjackets showed efficiency in the third set, hitting .353 as a team, their highest of the match, but early deficits and service errors limited their ability to close out sets. Missouri Valley produced a decisive .353 hitting percentage in the second frame and closed each set with strong runs to seal the sweep.

Head coach Stew McDole said the team continues to compete at a high level despite the recent results. "Another good outing for our team that came up short," McDole said. "We have a good handle on solutions — that still elude us. We continue to be a genuine challenge for all comers."

The result marked a challenging stretch for the Yellowjackets, who are still searching for their first Heart victory of the season. Graceland is now 0-6 in conference play and has dropped six straight matches, but the team will have a week to regroup before returning to the court.

Next Up:
Graceland will use the week to retool before traveling to MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday, Sept. 27. The Heart matchup is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CDT at the Cook Center in Olathe, Kansas.

For more information on Graceland women's volleyball and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.