The No. 16-ranked Gannon women's volleyball team closed its weekend at the Hampton Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic on a high note, defeating host Davenport 3–1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Knights took the first two sets, responded after a setback in the third, and sealed the match with a dominant fourth-set showing. The win gave Gannon a 2–1 mark at the tournament and improved its season record to 5-2.
"Even though it's still early in the season, today's win feels like a big one for us," said head coach
Matt Darling. "Davenport plays great defense and plays hard, but we were able to score just enough of the effort points to win. Our blocking was very good today, and Lauren, Carlee, and Nehir all scored points. I'm very happy."
THE GAME FACTS
Final Score: #16 Gannon 3, Davenport 1 (25–21, 25–21, 19–25, 25–16)
Records: #16 Gannon 5-2, Davenport 3-4
Location: DU Student Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Date: September 13, 2025
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Balanced Scoring: Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey) led all players with 15 kills, while Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) tallied 10, Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) chipped in 12, and both Carlee Webber (Anamosa, IA /Marion) and Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) finished with 8 apiece
- Steady Hands: Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) dished out 48 assists as the Knights hit .248 as a team
- Back Row Leader: Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy) collected a team-high 23 digs, keeping plays alive throughout the afternoon
- At the Net: Gannon out-blocked Davenport 13–4, with Webber and Yazicioglu leading the effort
- Finishing Strong: The Golden Knights hit .308 in the fourth set to close out the match in convincing fashion
- Tournament Wrap: Gannon went 2–1 on the weekend in Grand Rapids, bouncing back from Friday's sweep against Findlay.
Up Next
The Golden Knights head to the Wheeling Invitational on Thursday, September 18, where they will face host Wheeling at 7 p.m. The matchup renews a postseason rivalry, as Gannon defeated the Cardinals 3–1 in last year's Atlantic Regional final to punch its ticket to the NCAA quarterfinals.
"With matches next week against MEC teams, we need to get ready for a tough weekend. Last year we struggled at this event, so hopefully we'll be better this year."
This story was written using the support of AI.
