The No. 16-ranked Gannon women's volleyball team went 1–1 on the opening day of the Hampton Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic, bouncing back from a three-set loss to Findlay in the morning to earn a four-set victory over Tiffin in the afternoon. 

The Golden Knights moved to 4–2 on the season behind a strong showing from Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts), who paced the offense in both matches.

THE GAME FACTS
Final Score: Findlay 3, #16 Gannon 0 (25–21, 25–23, 25–23)
Records: #16 Gannon (3-2), Findlay (3-1)
Location: DU Student Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Date: September 12, 2025

"On the plus side, we battled pretty well against a Findlay team that is very experienced and talented," said Darling. "But unfortunately, the downside, which was significant and included every possible kind of error, prevented us from getting a better result. Luckily, we get to try again later today."

Final Score: #16 Gannon 3, Tiffin 1 (25–17, 25–14, 17–25, 25–16)
Records: #16 Gannon (4-2), Tiffin (1–4)
Location: DU Student Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Date: September 12, 2025

"We needed a win this afternoon, so I think everyone feels good about our performance against Tiffin. Abbey had a great day from start to finish, and we communicated better than we did this morning. Hopefully, we can build on that for another tough test tomorrow," said head coach Matt Darling.

THE KNIGHT CAP 
(Game 1 vs. Findlay)

• Williams Leads the Way: Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) powered the offense with 14 kills and added 12 digs for a double-double.
• Supporting Attackers: Carissa Treser (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) and Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) chipped in seven kills apiece to round out the scoring punch.
• Setter's Production: Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) dished out 34 assists while also contributing 15 digs.
• Back Row Presence: Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) matched Arslan with a team-high 15 digs.
• At the Net: Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) registered four block assists, while Wake added three as Gannon finished with six team blocks.
• Tight Sets: The Golden Knights went point-for-point with Findlay before falling by just two in both the second and third sets.
• By the Numbers: Gannon hit .120 with 37 kills, while Findlay finished at .220 with 44 kills, led by Alana Pohlman and Makenna Belcher with 10 apiece.

(Game 2 vs. Tiffin)

• Bounce Back Win: After a tough morning against Findlay, the Golden Knights responded with a strong four–set victory over Tiffin to close the first day of the Hampton Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic.
• Williams Leads the Way: Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) carried the offense, finishing with a match–high 17 kills while hitting .417.
• Balanced Attack: Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) added 12 kills on a .360 clip, while Brooke Gwizda and Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) chipped in nine apiece, with Atwell hitting .438. Carissa Treser (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) also delivered 11 kills.
• Steady Setting & Defense: Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) directed the attack with 54 assists, while Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) anchored the back row with a match-high 18 digs. Atwell also contributed five block assists.
• Efficient Offense: Gannon hit .338 for the match on 61 kills compared to Tiffin's .207 on 39 kills.

Up Next
The Golden Knights wrap up play on Saturday, September 13, against tournament host Davenport at 3 p.m. inside the DU Student Center.
 
This story was written using the support of AI.