Another sweep at home for the grizzlies

Butler Community College's volleyball team hosted a conference opponent on Wednesday, Oct. 2. a much-needed win as it improved their record to .500, sweeping Pratt Community College Beavers 3-0 (25-22), (25-13) and (25-14). 

As usual the Grizzlies were led by sophomore outside hitter Avery DeLong, who accounted for 10 kills with a stunning .409 hitting percentage, contributing significantly to the team's overall .211 kill efficiency. DeLong, along with crucial contributions from teammates such as freshman middle blocker Sophia Neihouse, who achieved five kills with a hitting percentage of .417, guaranteed that Butler stayed in command during the larger part of the game. 

Although the Grizzlies swept the Beavers, in the first set they fought hard with their most productive player, freshman outside hitter Francesca Battaglia, totaling eight kills on.053 hitting percentage. They were unable to develop a consistent attack to counter what butler was doing. Their efforts were not enough to compete with Butler’s steady attack. 

In the second set, Butler properly established their dominance, and the unanswered attacks left the Beavers surprised. They tried their hardest to fight back, but it was not enough. Delong had amazing plays, and the Grizzlies took the set 25-13. 

The third set was in the image of the second with Butler competing at a high level, but Pratt just not at the same level as the deficit continued to grow. Pratt had hopes of improving their record and keeping their winning streak alive from the previous week. The Beavers ultimately fell short, and their record fell to 5-15 for the season. 

This was a positive game for the Grizzlies, as it allowed them to get back to positive overall and conference record of .500. Butler's next game will be tonight, Oct. 7 at the Power Plant scheduled for 6 p.m. against Barton CC, which is a conference opponent. The Grizzlies cannot lose, or they will go back to a losing record, so it’s a must win.