By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Grand Rapids, MI---The No. 5 Express volleyball team swept through four teams over the weekend in the Grand Rapids Invitational, including a thrilling victory over host Grand Rapids Community College.
The team opened on Saturday with a 25-17, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19 defeat of No. 13-ranked Muskegon Community College. It was the second time the Express has defeated Muskegon this season as they defeated them in three sets on Aug. 30.
Julia Haupricht (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio) had a big match against Muskegon as she had a team best 15 kills to go along with one ace, 11 digs and three assisted blocks. Brittany Egbert (Hopewell-Loudon/Fostoria, Ohio) added 11 kills, four assisted blocks, and a team high two aces. Allison Seifker (Monroeville/Norwalk, Ohio) had a team high five assisted blocks.
Leading the way in the assist category was Molly Hilfinger (Anthony Wayne/Whitehouse, Ohio) with 23, while Erin Schatzle (Monroe/Monroe, Mich.) had 20. Ellie Comes (Southview/Sylvania, Ohio) had a team high 37 digs, while Schatzle had 12.
The nightcap on Saturday was a thriller for the Express as they came from two sets down to defeat No. 14-ranked Grand Rapids Community College 21-25, 22-25, 25-20, 29-27, 19-17.
Emily Crowell (Parkway/Rockford, Ohio) led the team with 15 kills, while Egbert and Schatzle each had 14. Seifker also reached double figures with 10 kills. Schatzle led the team in assists this time with 33, while Hilfinger had 23. Comes added a team high 30 digs, while Hilfinger had 15 and Crowell had 12. Egbert had a team high four assisted blocks and one solo block, while Haupricht added three assisted blocks.
After a thrilling Saturday of action, the Express defeated Kalamazoo Valley Community College 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 and Lansing Community College 25-13, 25-12, 21-25, 25-16 on Sunday.
In the win over Kalamazoo Valley, the Express were led by Schatzle's all-around play. The sophomore had a team-high 25 assists to go along with eight kills, 16 digs, one solo block and one assisted block. Her dig total was one off the team high set by Comes, who had 17. Egbert led in kills with 12, while Crowell had nine and Seifker had eight. Hilfinger added 18 assists.
In the defeat of Lansing, Comes once again led the team in digs with 28, while Schatzle had 13 and Hilfinger had 10. Hilfinger (19) and Schatzle (17) led the way in assists. Haupricht and Schatzle each had eight kills, while Egbert had seven. Comes had a monstrous game serving as her six aces paced the team. Crowell added two aces and three others finished with one apiece.
Following a loss to current No. 4-ranked Parkland College recently that stopped an 18-match winning streak for the Express, the team has now bounced back to win five consecutive matches.
Owens (28-2 overall, 7-0 OCCAC) will take on OCCAC foe Cuyahoga Community College at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home. The Express will then have a week off before taking on another OCCAC opponent in Edison State Community College the following Wednesday on the road.