Novotny tops 2,000 digs for Grace
LAKE WALES, Fla. – Grace’s volleyball team wrapped up its season-opening tournament at Warner University on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers fell in the morning match 3-2 to Mobile before ending the day with a 3-1 win over St. Andrews.
Gina Novotny highlighted the day with a personal milestone. Novotny eclipsed 2,000 career digs during the morning match. She is one of just three Lady Lancers to ever reach the 2,000-dig mark in a career.
The opening match against Mobile was a back-and-forth affair. Grace clinched the opening set 26-24 on a pair of kills from Jenna Mueller and Anna Frey.
But the Rams battled back with a 28-26 and 25-17 pair of wins in the second and third sets.
Grace surged ahead in the fourth set with a 9-1 lead and coasted to a 10-point win, setting up a decisive fifth set.
The Lady Lancers pulled ahead late with a 13-9 lead, but Mobile survived three match points to tie the score and eventually win 18-16.
Novotny shined with 33 digs and two aces in her milestone-achieving match. Frey had a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs, and Emily Peterson just missed one with 26 assists and nine digs.
Jadyn Block finished with 10 kills and eight digs, Alisha Leffring had nine kills, and Morgan Syoen added 16 digs and 15 assists. Jadyn Ross recorded 10 digs, and Cassadi Colbert had four kills and four block assists.
Grace played confidently to begin the final match of the weekend against St. Andrews. The Lady Lancers surged ahead 25-11 and 25-15.
The Knights fended off the sweep by winning 25-23 in the third set, but Grace ended the match in the fourth with a 25-18 victory.
Frey (13 kills) and Kate Sperry (11 kills) led Grace’s offense with Frey adding five digs and two aces.
Peterson produced 19 assists, 11 digs and 3 aces, Novotny had 22 digs and Grace Erwin added 12 digs.
The Lady Lancers’ next match is also the Crossroads League opener and Grace’s home opener. Grace welcomes Taylor on Sept. 1 for a 7 p.m. match.