Garden City swept by Butler on the road

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

El Dorado, KS-In the spring, Garden City beat Butler in a five-set marathon which may go down as one of the best volleyball matches of the calendar year. Fast forward to the fall, and the Grizzlies are on another level. Wednesday night provided further proof.

National player of the week Kayli Duncan had eight kills, Jaryn Benning posted eight kills, seven digs, and eight blocks, and No. 7 Butler won its 17^th straight match with a three-set victory over Garden City 11-25, 14-25, 8-25 at the Power Plant.

The Grizzlies scored the first four points of the opening set followed by an 8-0 run later in the frame that was capped by Carly Clennan's block. Carrie Roe then finished things off with a crosscourt kill, and the Grizzlies had a 1-0 edge.  

Garden City managed to keep things close in the second, and when Butler committed a service error, the Broncbusters were within two. But that's as close as they got. The Grizzlies responded with a 16-7 surge highlighted by Benning's block that ended the set.

The third was pretty much a wash, and once Rainey Aven dropped in a service ace, the Grizzlies had a double-digit lead.

Giorgia Cappelletti had five kills for Garden City, which lost its fourth straight match. Emily Jenkins posted eight digs, and Remi Vargas had 12 assists.

Next up: Garden City vs. Pratt-Friday, Oct. 1, 2021