GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – What a day in Grand Rapids! Macomb Volleyball opened the GRCC Raider Challenge with a pair of victories on Saturday (Oct. 4), defeating Lake Michigan College and Waubonsee Community College in four sets each to improve to 10-7 overall.
 
Macomb 3, Lake Michigan 1 (25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16)
Kaley Eller recorded 18 kills on 33 swings with only one error and Jordan Pflaum equaled Eller's kill total with 18 of her own to pace a balanced attack in a four-set victory to open GRCC Raider Challenge play. The duo paced an attack that featured a total of four Monarchs in double-digit kills as Caryss Terry added 12 and Kara Beeker slammed down 11.
 
Korin Hutton tossed up a career-best 49 assists in the triumph and set up an offense that helped the Monarchs jump out to a 2-0 lead behind mirrored 25-20 wins in sets one and two. Lake Michigan narrowly took the third set, 25-23, before the Monarchs closed the match out with a 25-16 decision in set four.
 
Defensively, four Monarchs tallied double-digit digs led by Brooke Baker with 14 and Alexis Cunha with 13. Pflaum and Sophia Kulaga followed with 11 digs each. At the net, Pflaum and Terry each amassed four block assists to help stave off the Lake Michigan attack.
 
Macomb 3, Waubonsee 1 (22-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-13)
The Monarchs completed the Saturday sweep by overcoming an early 1-0 deficit to earn a 3-1 comeback victory over the Chiefs of Waubonsee Community College. Eller continued her remarkable day with nine kills on 21 attempts and no errors. On the day, Eller recorded 27 kills while only committing one error after accounting for 18 kills in Saturday's opener.
 
While Eller's efficiency led the way, Beeker and Pflaum notched team-best totals against the Chiefs with 13 kills each. Terry followed with seven to round out the kills leaders in the nightcap. Hutton racked up 36 assists and led the team in aces with four, while Eller and Kulaga followed with two aces each.
 
Defensively, the Monarchs threw a block party in the four-set win over the Chiefs as Pflaum tallied seven block assists, Eller and Terry added six each and Beeker accounted for four. In the digs department, Beeker tied Cunha for the team lead with 17. Hutton checked in next with 12 digs, followed by Baker with 11 and Pflaum with 10.
 
UP NEXT: GRCC Raider Challenge Day Two
The Monarchs return to GRCC's Ford Fieldhouse for day two of the Raider Challenge with two matches Sunday. The action begins at 2 p.m. opposite Kalamazoo Valley Community College and concludes with a 4 p.m. tilt against MCCAA Western Conference leader Southwestern Michigan College.