Grizzlies win opening game of National Tournament with a 3-0 victory over Wallace State
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
18 | 23 | 13 | 0 |
|
|
25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Team Stats
Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
| Game Statistics | Wallace State Community College-Hanceville | Butler |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | -.019 | .152 |
| Blocks | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Digs | 49 | 43 |
| Aces | 3 | 8 |
Kayli Duncan powered the Butler Grizzlies to a 3-0 sweep of the Wallace State Lions (25-18, 25-23, 25-13) in their first ever national tournament game in Hutchinson on Thursday morning.
If there were any nerves for the Grizzlies, they did not show it in the first set. Led by Duncan's five kills, the Grizzlies led the whole way, forcing an early timeout after jumping to a 10-4 lead, and cruising the rest of the way for the seven point win.
The next set was a different story, however. The Lions adjusted well and went on a 6-1 run to force a Grizzly timeout. Butler never lost their composure however, rallying after the stoppage and tying it at 16. Butler did just enough to edge out the Lions in the set, winning the final point with a long, long rally to settle the set and take a 2-0 lead.
The Grizzlies have been dominant in third sets all season, and that proved to be true again today. It was all Butler in the decisive set, as they would win by 12 points.
The win, Butler's first in a national tournament, improved the Grizzlies record to 36-2 and their winning streak to 32 games in a row. Butler will play their second game of the tournament Thursday evening, against Snow College, with a trip to the national semifinals at stake.
