DES MOINES, Iowa. – The No. 7 ranked Rocky Mountain College volleyball team (20-3, 6-0 FC) lost to two nationally ranked opponents, Viterbo (22-5, 8-0) and Grand View (22-0, 11-0) as part of the 2018 Grand View Tournament.
The Battlin' Bears streak of wins ends at 19. They had not lost a game since the first day of their 2018 season, Aug. 15.
Their first loss came against No. 5 ranked Viterbo in the morning. The Battlin' Bears showed promise as they scored six in a row to come from behind and take a 19-17 lead. However, the V-Hawks rallied back and took the set 25-23.
The Battlin' Bears responded with a set win of their own as they came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. They took a quick nine to two lead before the V-Hawks could respond and were able to hold on to their momentum to narrowly take the second set 26-24.
The Battlin' Bears seemed in sight of grabbing the third set for their own. Rocky was up 24-18, yet watched the lead slip through their fingers as the V-Hawks knocked down seven straight points in a row. Rocky lost the set 25-27.
The V-Hawks put the nail in the coffin with a 25-17 set win to give Rocky their second loss of the season and their first in nearly two months.
Olivia L'Ami led the Battlin' Bears with an incredible 22 kills.
Hailey Copinga contributed an additional 16 kills with 11 digs.
Ruby Kallenbach led the team in digs with 24.
Natalie Hilderman orchestrated 41 assists.
Rocky played Grand View in a tight contest later in the afternoon.
The Vikings took the first set 25-22, but Rocky flipped the script and pulled in two 25-22 victories of their own in the second and third set.
Grand View responded with a 25-21 win in the fourth set.
Rocky took the No. 2 ranked team in the nation to a fifth set finale, but couldn't quite finish as they lost 5-15.
Copinga had a team high 17 kills and 25 digs.
Daniella Russell knocked down 15 kills of her own.
Hilderman orchestrated 51 assists. Kallenbach brought in 23 digs.
Rocky returns home still at the top of the Frontier Conference standings. Their next game will take place against Carroll College at Fortin Education Center on Oct. 19. That match will take place at 7:00 p.m.
