AUBURN, Wash. (GRC) — The Red Devils' perfect west region record came to an end Wednesday night in The Swamp. The Gators fought back from numerous deficits to prevail in five sets.
In the opening set, Green River trailed 8-13. A 13-4 run by the Gators followed, prompting a LCC timeout with the green and black leading 21-17. After the timeout, GRC won 4 of the next six points to take set one 25-19.
LCC took sets two and three.
In the fourth set, the Gators trailed 16-23. A Lower Columbia service error gave Adrianna Moilanen a chance to serve with the match on the line. A kill by Abby Lynne Collins and a kill by Macy Bonavente, who ended the game with 19, sparked another LC timeout. The Red Devils came out of the timeout with a block to push themselves within one point of securing the match win. GRC responded with a patented Evelina Mykhalchuk dump to keep the Gators in the game. A Bonavente ace, one of her six during the contest, and a LCC error made the score 24-23 in favor of the Devils. Bonavente found herself yet another ace to tie the set 24-24. LCC called its final timeout of the set. A clutch Riria Fujiwara dig led to an Aiyana Brown kill, which put the Gators up 25-24, their first lead of the set since they were up 5-4. Brown closed out set four with a kill. The green and black tied up the match 2-2.
The race to 15 in the fifth set found the Gators trailing again 7-10. Collins responded with a kill off a Mykhalchuk assist, then the two teamed up on an errant return from LCC to place their shot where no Devil defenders were. Brown followed with another kill, one of her 25 in the match, to knot the match 10-10. Lower Columbia had to call a timeout. The Red Devils were able to snag the lead back as they went up 12-11. But GRC closed out the match on a 4-1 run to win set five 15-13. The upset was complete. This was Green River's first victory over LCC since 2014 and their first ranked win of the season.
The Gators move to 11-10 overall after they picked up their fifth home win of the season. The green and black improved to 3-3 in West Region play.
Brown and Bonavente combined for 44 kills on the night. Bonavente starred on the defensive end too, contributing 21 digs. Brown tallied 11 digs of her own.
Mykhalchuck supplied 36 assists, a new season high. She added 10 digs and 5 kills as well.
Moilanen posted 11 digs and three kills. Fujiwara notched 24 digs and four service aces.
The Gators had more assists, digs, aces, and kills than the Devils.
You can relive the great night here:
https://nwacsportsnetwork.com/greenriver/?B=4582924
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