Nov. 11, 2009

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan faced each other for the second time in six days on Wednesday night (Nov. 11), with NMU winning both matches, including a 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-21, 25-18) in the opening round of the GLIAC Tournament. Northern Michigan advances to the GLIAC Final Four, while GVSU awaits word on its postseason fate.

The victory put NMU at 19-10 on the season, as the Wildcats won two of three meetings this season with Grand Valley State. With the loss, GVSU falls to 16-12 overall. In the most recent Midwest Regional rankings on Oct. 29, the Lakers were the #3 seed, but have went 2-3 since the rankings were released. It was only the fourth time this season that GVSU lost a match by a 3-0 score.

In the opening frame, Grand Valley State jumped out early to leads of 4-1, 6-2, and 8-3 before NMU rallied back and scored six straight points to even the set at 8-8. The score would be tied five more times in the opening set, as neither team could pull away. GVSU went ahead 21-18 on a kill by sophomore Nicole Whiddon, but the Wildcats again tied the score at 21-21. NMU followed its 3-0 run with a service error, putting the Lakers on top, 22-21. However, Northern Michigan notched the final four points of the set with a service ace and a pair of GVSU attack errors to take a 25-22 first set win. Neither team hit very well in the first set, with the Lakers connecting at a .119 rate with 13 kills and NMU hit at a .163 clip with 13 kills.

The second set saw GVSU push out to a 3-1 advantage before Northern Michigan scored the next 11 points and upped its advantage to 12-3 midway through the set. Grand Valley State battled back and trimmed the NMU lead to 20-17, using five kills from senior Whitney Tremain to aid the comeback. The Wildcats had no problem trading points the rest of the set, as they recorded the final point for a 25-21 victory. GVSU actually outhit Northern Michigan, connecting at a .375 percentage with 14 kills and only two errors, but NMU did hit .300 with 18 kills.

There were 10 ties and five lead changes in a back-and-forth third set and with an 11-11 score, the Wildcats put on a quick 4-1 run to up the score to 15-12. GVSU rallied to within 17-15, but that is as close as it would get, as Northern Michigan scored eight of the match's last 11 points for a 3-0 match victory. It was the worst offensive set for both teams, as NMU hit .029 with 10 kills and nine errors, while the Lakers hit -.067 with seven kills and nine errors.

Tremain and junior middle hitter Rebeccah Rapin led all players with 12 kills apiece. Rapin hit at a stellar .476 hitting percentage and added five blocks, while Tremain hit .214 with 10 digs. Three Lakers tallied double-figures in digs, led by senior Katey Crichton's 18 digs and four assists.

Junior Meghan Scanlon notched 18 assists and 10 digs, while freshman Olivia Kohler recorded 10 assists and a pair of digs. Whiddon supplied four kills in six attempts and four blocks.