The long volleyball road trip to start the season came to an end for Grays Harbor College on Wednesday and it celebrated with a resounding victory over South Puget Sound at Sam Benn Gym.

Powered by the hard-hitting duo of Bria Buchanan and Lexi Fetui, the Chokers wore down the Clippers en route to a 25-19, 25-20, 25-14 victory in NWAC Western Division play.

Buchanan and Fetui each finished with 13 kills and each played a key part in getting GHC going against its Olympia rival.

“This was a very good win for us to start (division) play and being at home,” GHC head coach Christine Nelson said.

GHC scored the first seven points of the match in the first game. With freshman setter Megan Gibson serving, the Chokers brought the hits and net play. But even with the hits coming, GHC stumbled mid-game to allow SPS back in.

The visitors, behind the hitting of Elma grad Jordaan Hall and Stephanie Washington, got to within two several times in the first game. However, the Chokers got key sideouts from freshman Brooke Spoor and Leleo Maeva to hold on for the opening win.

“Bria is our catalyst; when she gets on in the beginning, she gets rolling and the other team (motions eyes wide open),” Nelson said. “She hits hard. She gets rolling and Megan did a good job of getting her going. That’s our game plan to get us momentum.”

SPS kept the hosts in range in the second game, using mistakes on the other side of the net and a few well-timed hits to roll out to a 13-8 lead. The Clippers were poised to run away before their own mistakes were capitalized on by the Chokers.

GHC received front-line blocks from Spoor, Fetui, Buchanan and Maeva to tie the match at 18-18. A Spoor dink, a Buchanan stuff block and a SPS hit into the net gave the Chokers a 20-18 lead.

From there, it was Buchanan’s time. Three kills, plus a stuff block, by the sophomore took the game for the Chokers. Fatui also worked herself up a dink point and she combined with Buchanan and Maeva to force a SPS hit into the net for the game win.

“We want to stop the other team’s runs and we didn’t do that very well in the second game,” Nelson added. “At times, we did and powered through. Lexi struggled a bit, but found a way to get back into it and was all there in the third.”

The third and final game was all Chokers. Fatui knocked home seven of her 13 kills in the frame and solid serving from Gibson, Maeva and Sara Caraveo fueled runs to dry land the Clippers. Fatui ended the match with a kill off a SPS block.

Gibson led the team with 16 assists, Caraveo added 14 assists and 10 digs and Spoor had five kills at the net. Nelson cited Brittanie Jordan and Taylor Howie for their work off the bench.

On Friday, GHC (1-0, 11-11) travels to Lower Columbia in Longview.