Lewis and Clark Falls in Five-Set Battle to Kaskaskia in Season Opener

Lewis and Clark volleyball players warm up before their season opener against Kaskaskia College. Maycee Gall, Assistant Volleyball Coach.
Lewis and Clark volleyball players warm up before their season opener against Kaskaskia College. Maycee Gall, Assistant Volleyball Coach.
Box Score
August 22, 2025

GODFREY, IL – The Lewis and Clark Community College women's volleyball team showed fight in its 2025 season opener Thursday night but came up short in a five-set loss to visiting Kaskaskia College.

The Blue Angels edged out the Trailblazers 3-2, winning by scores of 25-20, 23-25, 25-15, 18-25 and 15-4. After splitting the first two sets, Kaskaskia pulled ahead with a commanding third before Lewis and Clark answered to even the match in the fourth. In the decisive fifth, however, the Blue Angels seized control early and never looked back.

Despite the result, Trailblazers head coach Jenna Brown said she saw significant progress from her team compared to last week's scrimmage.

"My biggest takeaway is that we have already grown immensely from a week ago," Brown said. "We are already looking a lot more cohesive."

Brown credited her players for their ability to stay composed even when the team faced deficits throughout the night.

"What impressed me the most about the players' performance was their resiliency," she said. "Even when we got down, I could see their composure on the court. Also, the energy our bench had really carried the players on the court."

Looking ahead, Brown emphasized the importance of consistency in serve receive and overall communication.

"We need to continue to work on serve, receive and being in the system," she said. "When we were passing and having the option to run all our hitters, we won."

Brown experimented with different serving specialists throughout the match and said her players responded well to the changes. She added that playing a traditionally strong NJCAA Division I opponent in Kaskaskia provides a positive benchmark for the season's growth.

"Kaskaskia is a historically solid D1 JUCO program, and we were very close to beating them," Brown said. "If we can keep progressing at this rate, then we will have a great season ahead of us."

Written by Alexandra Dunn, Athletics Social Media Coordinator, Lewis and Clark Community College