Leonard, Machado Lead Grinnell Volleyball to Sweep of Knox
MILWAUKEE — Millie Leonard and Leticia Machado combined for 21 kills as the Grinnell College volleyball team swept Knox on Sept. 12 at the Kern Center.
Grinnell won 25-19, 25-16, 25-14 to improve to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Knox dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-1 in conference action.
The Pioneers finished with 37 kills and a .284 hitting percentage while holding Knox to 20 kills and a .047 hitting percentage. Grinnell also collected 13 service aces and five team blocks.
Leonard led Grinnell with 11 kills, hit .333 and added a team-high eight digs. Machado finished with 10 kills on 18 attacks for a .389 hitting percentage, along with two aces and four digs.
Molly Kuhn led the serving effort with four aces. Paige Lundgren added three aces and a team-high 15 assists. Marlowe Hurst contributed 11 assists and six digs, while Kylie-Ann Smith recorded five assists.
Grinnell built a 17-6 lead in the opening set before Knox scored nine straight points to close within 17-15. The Pioneers held their lead and scored the final four points of the set to secure the 25-19 win.
Machado supplied six kills in the opening set. Leonard added two kills late, then teamed with Charlotte Sigler for the block that ended the set.
Knox took an 8-7 lead in the second set, but Grinnell answered with six straight points. The run included kills from Kinsey Carrigan, Leonard and Mia Meert, along with back-to-back aces from Kuhn.
Grinnell maintained control from there, winning 25-16. Leonard had five kills in the set, and the Pioneers recorded seven aces.
In the third set, Grinnell moved ahead 5-1 and never trailed. A five-point run later stretched an 18-11 advantage to 22-11. Lundgren closed the match with a service ace.
Meert finished with four kills for Grinnell. Sigler, Ella Tulimieri and Keira Sullivan each added three, while Carrigan contributed two.
Sigler also recorded one solo block and two block assists. Sullivan added two block assists as Grinnell kept Knox from finding a consistent attack.
Emilee Appel contributed seven digs, and Sophia Ochoa added four. The Pioneers finished with a 45-36 advantage in digs.
Miley Frakes led Knox with six kills. Lydia Karli and Maria Jabor Jahn each added four. Bri Holland finished with 14 assists, three aces and six digs.
