GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Macomb Volleyball took on a pair of perennial powers Saturday (Sept. 30) at the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) Raider Challenge and, despite battling tough throughout the day, dropped both contests to move to 6-7 on the season. The Monarchs were close to upending their first opponent, Muskegon Community College, before falling in a four-set marathon match. The Monarchs later fell in three sets to the host and 11^th ranked Raiders.

Muskegon 3, Macomb 1 (21-25, 20-25, 29-27, 24-26)
In an incredible back-and-forth match to begin the day, the Monarchs received career-best performances out of Chante Hudgins (Warren, Mich./Lincoln) and Nikole Nikolova (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II) despite falling in four highly competitive sets to the Jayhawks of Muskegon Community College.

After dropping the first two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-20, the Monarchs refused to give in and clipped the Jayhawks in an extended third set by a 29-27 final. In set four, 25 points once again was not enough to settle it as the Jayhawks edged the Monarchs, 26-24, to win the match.

Hudgins slammed down a career-high 16 kills and did so on 32 total attacks while only committing two errors. Hudgins added to a massive Raider Challenge opener with three solo blocks to help keep the match close throughout. Nikolova recorded a career-high 29 digs, eclipsing her previous career best by one, and added three assists for the Monarchs in the opener.

Adeline Tresnak (Dryden, Mich./Dryden) posted a double-double of 16 digs and 11 kills, while Paige Elliott (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Country Day) joined Tresnak with a double-double of her own after tossing up 35 assists and adding 10 digs. Elliott also led the team from the service line with a career-high five aces.

Mallory Cardinale (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley) tallied 12 digs and added eight kills and Becca Weiss (Dryden, Mich./Dryden) checked in with 10 digs to round out the leaders for the Monarchs against the Jayhawks.

No. 11 Grand Rapids 3, Macomb 0 (10-25, 20-25, 20-25)
A slow start doomed the Monarchs against the nation's 11^th ranked team in Saturday's finale. After falling in the first set, 25-10, the Monarchs were able to battle back but couldn't overcome the highly-ranked Raiders as the hosts won in three sets by set scores of 25-10, 25-20 and 25-20.

Adeline Tresnak paced the Monarch attack with seven kills while Chante Hudgins and Mallory Cardinale followed with six kills and five kills, respectively. Grace Amoe (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) posted a team-leading four block assists and Katarina Gavric (Canton, Mich./Salem) followed with three block assists. Paige Elliott led the team in digs with nine and Becca Weiss followed with eight.

Up Next: Raider Challenge Day Two
The Monarchs return to GRCC's Ford Fieldhouse for day two of the Raider Challenge Sunday (Oct. 1). The Monarchs will square off with preseason No. 8 McHenry County College at 12 p.m. before ending their weekend with a 4 p.m. tilt against Kellogg Community College.

The Monarchs are slated to play each match on one of the main courts and should be viewable on GRCC's live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/@grccathletics7021/streams