A
determined Salt Lake Community College women’s volleyball team shook off a
first-round loss to win three more matches and ninth place overall in the NJCAA
Division 1 National Volleyball Championship in Casper, Wyoming.
All Tournament team member Carol Grasso slams home the winning point.
After two sets Saturday it looked like the No. 6 Bruins
would roll right over No. 12 Polk State College from Lakeland, Florida after
going 25-14 and 25-18. The Eagles fought back for a 22-25 win in the third set
after SLCC scored five unanswered points down the stretch.
Carol Grasso’s consistent play resulted in another
double/double with 23 kills and 13 digs, followed by Kallie Schmit’s 14 kills
and 5 digs. Grasso, one of 12 women to make the All Tournament Team, also
posted 4 aces in the first set of Saturday’s match. Mariana Pilon led the team
with 16 digs, with Cassandra Fenton pitching in 9, Rachel Davis with 6 and
Schmit with 5.
The team celebrates after winning three straight matches to clinch 9th.
SLCC finished the game with a .248 hitting percentage to
Polk’s .143. No. 2 seed Blinn College beat No. 5 Miami Dade in the championship
game later on Saturday.
The tournament at the Casper Events Center closed out the
Bruins’ season, which ended with a 23-10 regular-season record. While in Casper
the team lost in the first round to Missouri State University – West Plains,
but then beat New Mexico Military Institute, Western Nebraska Community College
and finally Polk State.
The team will lose six sophomores, including Grasso, headed
into the next season.
The team and cheer squad pose with SLCC President Dr. Deneece Huftalin and Athletics Director Kevin Dustin.
