​Last week, Abby Crooks and the Grand Valley volleyball team talked about how the Northeastern Athletic Conference title was in its grasp.“We knew we had to play our best volleyball, and outwork our remaining in order to win it outright,” the second-year coach said.On Monday night, Cardinal handed the Mustangs their first NAC loss, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-18.But Crooks also realized there was another chance to capture at least a share of the conference crown the following night at home against Saint John.“After our loss to Cardinal on Monday, my message to them [her team] was, ‘there’s still more volleyball to play,’” she said. “We had to show that our team was resilient and could bounce back after a loss in order to earn at share of the NAC.”Against the Heralds, GV 17-3 (14-1 in the conference) accomplished its mission.A 25-13, 25-15, 25-27, 25-16 win gave the Mustangs a share of the conference championship with Cardinal. It’s the first time GV has won any part of a NAC volleyball title since 2019.“I’m really proud of our team for learning from our experiences last year, and continuing to push themselves to get better everyday this season,” Crooks said. “Winning the conference was a goal from the beginning for us, and we are excited to bring a share of it back to GV.”In the win over Saint John, Rylee Rogers had 13 kills, 14 digs and four aces; Cloe Turk posted 21 assists and Bre Rowland and Rogers added 14 digs each.But another player made her presence known for the Mustangs, especially the last two matches.“Something that helped us out both in the Cardinal and Saint John match was Gracyn Ellsworth [who also recorded 14 digs against Saint John],” Crooks said. “Monday night, she came off the bench and gave the girls on the court a spark with great serves and defense. Tuesday night, she stepped up into a new role as libero, and did a great job for us.”Crooks said the defense overall has been strong.“It’s been a big part of our identity all season,” she said. “We continue to dig tough balls, stay in system and translate that into offense.”Prior to Monday’s loss, the Mustangs captured 15 straight wins. All but three of the matches went 3-0.Mathews gave GV a battle, before the Mustangs won 3-2 Oct. 1.GV still has regular-season matches left against Lakeside at home tonight and at Brookfield Monday.Then, the Mustangs will compete in the Division VI part of the upcoming postseason.“Our main focus as the season winds down is to stay together as a team and play our best volleyball every time we step onto the court,” Crooks said. “We know we have a lot of people supporting and cheering for us, and the girls want to make them proud.”