Gómez de Luis powers Storm to rivalry win in five

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Lucia Gómez de Luis hammered down a career-high 18 kills, Jada Schmidt posted her second straight double-double, and the Simpson College women's volleyball team outlasted Central in a five-set battle inside Cowles Fieldhouse.

Gómez de Luis and Schmidt combined for 33 of the Storm's 58 kills as Simpson improved to 13-3 overall and 2-0 in American Rivers Conference play for the first time since 2021.

After dropping the opening set 27-25 in extras, the Storm roared back with convincing 25-17 and 25-16 wins to grab a 2-1 edge. Central (13-6, 1-1 A-R-C) answered in the fourth, 25-22, to force a deciding frame. Simpson broke away with a 5-0 run in the fifth and Gómez de Luis delivered in the clutch with multiple late kills to lock up the 15-11 set and the 3-2 victory.

STARS OF THE MATCH

• Lucia Gómez de Luis: 18 kills, 7 digs
• Jada Schmidt: 15 kills, 18 digs, 2 blocks
• Peyton Mitchell: 10 kills, 6 blocks
• Hannah Jansen: 27 digs, 2 aces
• Maddie Dunham: 11 digs, 4 aces
• Morgan DenBeste: 29 assists, 13 digs, 3 kills
• Madison Hendrickson: 16 assists, 14 digs

NOTES

• Simpson begins A-R-C play with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2021.
• The Storm have won five of the last six against the Dutch.
• Simpson missed one serve in the opening set but was perfect from the line the rest of the way.
• Lucia Gómez de Luis set career highs in kills (18) and digs (7).
• Madison Hendrickson recorded her first double-double with 16 assists and 14 digs, both career highs.
• Jada Schmidt notched a career high 18 digs and now has back-to-back double-doubles.

UP NEXT
Simpson hosts Neb. Wesleyan (11-3, 1-1 A-R-C) on Friday night at 6 p.m.