Lancers Complete National Title Three-Peat
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Grace College’s volleyball team captured their third straight NCCAA national championship with a thrilling 3-0 victory over Columbia International on Saturday.
The Lancers (20-16) seemed to be a team of destiny after pulling a pair of dramatic comebacks in both the first and second sets of the championship game.
Grace trailed by seven points in the first set and by nine points in set two before claiming both on their way to a sweep over the top-seeded Rams.
Grace became the second team to ever three-peat as NCCAA national champions and the first to do so in 34 years. Liz Schmidt and Molly Hofmann were named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team following the win.
The title is the fourth NCCAA championship in Grace volleyball’s history and marks the 23rd national title in athletic department history.
Callie Jo Celichowski started the game with an explosive kill, but it was CIU who jumped out to an early lead.
Hofmann had a pair of kills, but the Lancers still trailed 12-8 as the Rams were about to expand their advantage. Two service aces from CIU fueled a 7-3 run to put Grace in an 18-11 hole.
Grace was readying a rally, however. Leah Henderson sent down an emphatic slam, and Olivia Martinez aced the ensuing serve which sparked an explosive response from the Lancers.
Celichowski and Anna Elkin each added points for Grace, prompting a timeout from the Rams. The timeout did little to stall the Lancers’ momentum, however, as Grace managed to pull within a single point.
Trailing 23-22 late in the set, Hofmann tied the game; back-to-back blocks from Grace sealed the first set for the Lancers 25-23.
Despite seemingly having the momentum entering the second set, Grace again found itself in a significant hole, trailing this time 12-3.
A setting error from CIU opened the door for Grace, and the Lancers pounced on the opportunity. The Lancers rattled off three-straight points which started their slow climb back.
Grace had pulled to within five points, but the Rams seemed to regain their footing establishing a commanding 18-11 lead.
Grace head coach Katie Hill called a timeout which steadied the Lancers, allowing them to score seven of the next nine points.
An attack error had Grace down 21-18, but the Lancers would not be denied down the stretch. Grace scored six unanswered points, and a kill from Levyn Snow put the set 25-22 in Grace’s favor.
With the championship in sight, the Lancers came out roaring in the third set. Grace scored the first three points of the third set and built a 9-4 lead. The Lancers had three service aces to help build the lead.
Leah Henderson and Celichowski blocked an attack to double up the Rams 12-6. Schmidt added an ace, but the Rams had one last rally in them as CIU cut the deficit to 18-13.
The Lancers left no doubt in their championship victory, closing the set with the final seven points.
Grace hit .252 in the championship match and dialed up eight service aces. The Lancers also had seven blocks.
Celichowski led Grace with 12 kills, while Elkin (9 kills), Henderson (8), Snow (8) and Hofmann (7) all got involved offensively.
Reese McCutchan had 21 assists, and Schmidt added 16 digs.
The championship game also marked the end of the stellar careers of seniors Livia Tate, Schmidt and Emma Blackford.
Tate ended up sixth in career blocks at Grace and is tops in the modern rally scoring era. Schmidt is top-10 in both career and single season digs. Blackford closed out her career seventh all-time in career service aces.