WINONA LAKE - The Grace College volleyball team knew it had its work cut out for it.

Despite being the four-time defending NCCAA Regional III champions, the Lancers came into the weekend tournament as the No. 3 seed. In No. 1 seed Cedarville and No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan, Grace saw a challenge like it hadn't had in the past five seasons.

The Lancers proved that champions are difficult to dethrone by upending Indiana Wesleyan Friday night in four sets: 15-9, 15-8, 6-15, 15-12. With Cedarville's three-set win over Spring Arbor earlier Friday, it set up a pivotal game between the two unbeatens in the first game Saturday.

Cedarville and Grace battled through four sets, three of which teetered back and forth, but the Yellow Jackets pulled out the win 15-12, 13-15, 15-3, 15-11.

In the opening set, Cedarville led by an uncomfortable two to four points for most of the way. However, Grace's Sarah Calhoun stepped up with four consecutive service points to get the Lancers to within one point at 12-11.

But the Yellow Jackets showed why they are the No. 1 seed with three of the final four points for the 15-12 victory.

In the second set, Grace came out strong, winning the first four points. The Lancers extended the lead to five points at 10-5 and once again at 11-6. Cedarville fought back to tie the game at 12-12, but junior DeeAnna Beachy had a clutch kill and Kate Millen followed with a block. Mandy Ringhand closed out the set with a kill to knot up the match.

The third set was a dominating victory for Cedarville as the Yellow Jackets jumped ahead 14-1 and easily won 15-3.

In the final set, Grace went ahead 2-0 and 4-2, but Cedarville ran off a string of seven of the next eight points for a 9-5 lead. Grace battled back with four in a row for a 9-9 tie, but Cedarville took the

next point for a lead that it would not relinquish. The Yellow Jackets

went on for the 15-11 set victory and the match win.

That loss meant that Grace needed to defeat Spring Arbor and Indiana

Wesleyan needed to beat Cedarville in four sets for the Lancers to

have a chance at their fifth consecutive Regional Championship.

The Lady Lancers took care of business with a three-set sweep of

Spring Arbor 15-7, 15-4, 15-5. Surprisingly enough, Indiana Wesleyan

even did what was needed with a four-set upset win over Cedarville

12-15, 15-13, 15-11, 15-7.

That meant that Grace, Indiana Wesleyan and Cedarville were all 2-1.

The teams were so evenly matched that to decide the champion, results

had to be carried out to the fifth tie-breaker.

That fifth tie-breaker was point differential and Cedarville came out

on top. Indiana Wesleyan finished second and Grace was third, very

much because of that 15-3 loss to Cedarville in the third set.

Despite the disappointing finish, Grace head coach Candace Moats was

still pleased with her team's performance. Since her team's win over

Huntington Tuesday, Moats has seen a different team, an improved team

learning what it takes to win in college volleyball. After all, the

Lancers have no seniors and just two juniors on the squad.

"A lot of that has been Kate Millen," Moats said. "She's our captain

and she just broke out of somewhat of a dry spell against Huntington.

She decided that she's just not going to take it anymore. It's

improved the desire of the whole team."

Grace (16-14, 1-4 MCC) will host Goshen Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

CEDARVILLE OVER GRACE 15-12, 13-15, 15-3, 15-11

Kills - Mandy Ringhand 20, Kate Millen 17, DeeAnna Beachy 13, Jamie

Gill 11

Assists - Hannah Melby 48

Blocks - Kate Millen 8

Digs - Mandy Ringhand 14, Kelli Irish 10

GRACE OVER SPRING ARBOR 15-7, 15-4, 15-5

Kills - Mandy Ringhand 13, DeeAnna Beachy 12

Assists - Hannah Melby 31

Digs - Kate Millen 19, Mandy Ringhand 18, Hannah Melby 10

Aces - Mandy Ringhand 5 [[In-content Ad]]