Butler sweeps in season opener
The Grizzlies were led by sophomore outside hitter Avery DeLong, who tallied 12 kills with a remarkable .611 hitting percentage, contributing significantly to the team's overall .388 hitting efficiency. DeLong's efforts, combined with key plays from teammates like sophomore setter Anja Milosevic, who added 13 kills with a .400 hitting percentage, ensured that Butler maintained control throughout the match.
(Left) Anja Milosevic, sophomore setter, and (Right) Avery DeLong, sophomore outside hitter, most recently played in Wednesday's, Sept. 6, game against Barton CC where they lost 3-0, (14-25), (20-25) and (17-25). Photos by Kaylin Bergeron
Despite the efforts of Hutchinson's Viktoria Graf, who led the Blue Dragons with nine kills and a .400 hitting percentage, the team struggled to find consistent offensive momentum. Hutchinson's offensive difficulties were highlighted by several errors, making it difficult to fight back against the grizzlies' defense, which registered a total of 16 blocks during the match.
In the opening Butler jumped to an early lead, with DeLong and Milosevic establishing a strong presence at the net. Hutchinson tried to close the gap, but the Grizzlies closed out the set 25-10.
The second set, Hutchinson tried harder, with Graf and Beatriz Carvalho making the game interesting. However, despite tying the score several times, Hutchinson was unable to capitalize on key moments, allowing Butler to edge them out 25-17.
The third set mirrored the previous one, with Butler maintaining a slight edge throughout, and Hutch fighting for a chance to win a set. Butler’s consistency in both attack and defense proved too much for Hutchinson, who ultimately fell 25-23 to complete the sweep.
Butler's next home game will be opposing Colby Community College on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Power Plant at 2 p.m. It’s a conference match-up, so the Grizzlies must win and establish dominance in their conference.