Nov. 17, 2007

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#6 Grand Valley State came back from being down 0-2 to defeat #17 Lewis, 3-2 (26-30, 28-30, 30-23, 30-24, 15-5) in the Great Lakes Region Championship match. The Lakers claim the regional title and advance to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in eight years. Grand Valley improves to 33-3 overall and its 33 wins is the second most in school history. Lewis ends its season with a 32-4 record.

Lewis took a 5-2 lead in game one, but the Lakers scored the next three points to tie it at 5-5. The two teams tied it three more times before GVSU went up 14-11. The Flyers scored the next four points to go ahead, 15-14. The score was tied four more times before Lewis scored four out of the next five points to take a 22-19 lead. They then pushed their lead to 25-20 and then 28-23. The Lakers pulled to within three points, but it wasn't enough as the Flyers won, 30-26.

Game two started off close as well, with the teams tying five times before the score was 7-7. GVSU scored the next three points to take a 10-7 lead, but the Flyers came back to tie the game at 11-11. GVSU went up 15-13 and Lewis kept coming back to tying the game four more times. The score was 19-19 and the Lakers went on a 4-0 run to go up, 23-19, but the Flyers came back to tie the game at 24-24. The two teams tied four times before it went to 28-28 and then Lewis scored the final two points to take game two, 30-28.

The Lakers jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the third game, but the Flyers cut it to two points, 10-8. GVSU then went on a 5-0 run to go up, 15-8. Grand Valley went up 25-17 and Lewis cut it to five, 27-22. GVSU scored the next three out of four points to win game three, 30-23.

Grand Valley proved it wasn't finished as it jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth game. The Lakers went up 13-7, and pushed it to 18-11. Lewis came back, cutting the lead to 19-17, but the Lakers didn't go away as they scored the next five points to take a 24-17 lead. GVSU went ahead, 28-20 and although the Flyers scored the next four of out five points, it wasn't enough to stop the Lakers as they tied the match at two games apiece with a 30-24 game four win.

Game five started off close as the teams tied at 3-3 and 4-4. The Lakers then took control of the game, rattling off nine straight points to take a commanding 13-4 lead. Lewis scored the next point, but GVSU won the match by scoring the final two points of game five to win 15-5.

Grand Valley State hit .221 as a team in the match, while Lewis hit .140. Both teams recorded eight service aces, while the Lakers outblocked the Flyers 14-7.

Senior middle blocker Erica Vandekopple tallied 13 kills, four assisted blocks, two aces, and two digs, while junior outside hitter Lauren Reber recorded 13 kills, 21 digs, four assists, and two assisted blocks. Freshman middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin posted 12 kills, eight assisted blocks, and a .310 hitting percentage. Junior setter Jamie Ashmore recorded a triple-double, tallying 40 assists, 16 digs, 11 kills, one solo and three assisted blocks. Sophomore libero Meredith Young had a career-high 37 digs and five assists, while freshman outside hitter Leslie Curtis added five kills, three assisted blocks, and three digs.

Grand Valley State advances to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in eight years. The Lakers will play the winner of the Southwest Region. The finals will be held Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 at a campus to be determined.

2007 Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team
Amanda Bigney - Hillsdale - middle hitter
Alyssa Carlotta - Indianapolis - opposite hitter
Mary Kate Glowe - Ashland - outside hitter
Kyleigh Turner - Indianapolis - libero
Mallory Clements - SIUE - setter
Andrea Morrone - Lewis - setter
Jamie Ashmore - Grand Valley State - setter
Kim Richards - Lewis - middle blocker
Rebeccah Rapin - Grand Valley State - middle blocker
Sara deBuhr - Lewis - middle blocker
Erica Vandekopple - Grand Valley State - middle blocker
Lauren Reber - Grand Valley State - outside hitter