RedStorm rallies to extend win streak

Rio Grande Sports Information
     GEORGETOWN, Ky. - The University of Rio Grande women's volleyball team came off the mat and rallied down the stretch for a 3-2 (18-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 15-9) victory over Georgetown (Ky.) College, Saturday afternoon, in non-conference action at Davis-Reid Alumni Gym.
     The RedStorm upped their record to 6-3 with a fifth straight win, completing a regular season sweep of the host Tigers in the process.
     Georgetown dropped to 3-9 with the loss.
     The Tigers used strong performances at the net in sets one and three, tallying swing percentages of .407 and .405, respectively, in the stanzas to take a commanding lead in the match.
     Set four was a back-and-forth affair with both teams trading multi-point advantages, but it was Georgetown that found itself in front, 23-22, after an attack error by Rio freshman Averie Bruce (Baltimore, OH).
     The RedStorm scored the final three winners of the period, though, with senior Shalea Byrd (Canal Winchester, OH) sandwiching a block and a kill around a kill from fellow senior Amanda Rarick (Canal Winchester, OH) to force a fifth and deciding set.
     The Tigers forced a 2-2 tie after Rio scored the first two winners in set five, but the RedStorm scored six of the next seven points to take control and eventually take the match.
     Rarick led Rio Grande with 15 kills, while freshman Kelli Stewart (Waverly, OH) had 13 kills of her own to go along with a solo block and three block assists.
     Byrd finished with three solo blocks and two block assists, while junior Jordan Brooks (Reynoldsburg, OH) had two solos and three block assists.
     Junior Avery Huntzinger (Canal Winchester, OH) had 25 assists, while junior Sofia Otero Marrero (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) had 21 assists and four service aces in the winning effort.
     Junior Ashton Webb (Gallipolis, OH) led the RedStorm with 13 digs, while Otero Marrero and sophomore Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) finished with 11 and 10, respectively.
     Gareth Bruce had 17 kills and 17 digs in a losing cause for Georgetown, while Giara Ferrari and Constanca Rosas had 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Rosas also had four service aces.
     Ines Marques had a match-best 37 assists for the Tigers, while Viannie Kazan had 17 assists and three service aces and Reese Speed had 18 digs.
     Olivia Recktenwald added two solo blocks and two block assists for the hosts.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Tuesday night when it hosts Ohio Christian University in the River States Conference opener.
     First serve is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Newt Oliver Arena.