Westmont Volleyball saw its season come to an end as the Warriors were upset by #14 Grand View (Iowa) in pool play at the NAIA National Championships. The Vikings defeated the Warriors 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 25-23, 26-24).
Westmont (15-2) saw solid offensive production from Lexi Malone, Hali Galloway and Brooklynn Cheney, but it wasn’t enough to stop some critical runs by the Vikings.
“I thought we played really hard,” said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. “Even in the last set, there was no giving up. I knew this match would be tough. Grand View is always a hard opponent for us.”
Three players made significant contributions to the Warrior cause in their final match in Westmont uniforms. Hali Galloway tallied 15 kills, 32 serve receptions and eight digs while producing a .345 attack percentage. Brooklynn Cheney notched 12 kills, 12 serve receptions and 17 digs. Madison Morrison posted 22 serve receptions, 16 digs and three service aces.
“The seniors have such character and heart,” said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin who was clearly disappointed in the result but proud of her team and their effort. “They’ve left a legacy of servant leadership. They are the hardest work of seniors. I am super proud of those three. There were six in their group when they arrived. Patty is in the next class because of her ACL tear. They stuck it out with us and never quit. They are friends with one another and are leaving a legacy of resilience.”
Unfortunately, the Warriors found themselves unable to stop the Vikings’ Jenna Wagemester who tallied 32 kills on 55 attempts without committing an error. In each set won by Grand View, the Vikings produced a run led by Wagemester.
“She had reckless abandon when hitting,” assessed McGolpin. “We couldn’t stop her. Her attack was unbelievable and we didn’t have answers for her.”