Sept. 19, 2009

Box Score

Houghton, Mich. - In a two-hour marathon on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 19) in Houghton, Mich., the Huskies of Michigan Tech prevailed over Grand Valley State, 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 16-25, 15-13). The loss prevents GVSU from completing a three-match road sweep this week, after the Lakers knocked off Ferris State and Northern Michigan in the past five days.

Grand Valley State falls to 7-6 overall with a 3-2 record in GLIAC play, while Michigan Tech improves to 5-8 overall and are also 3-2 in the conference. Earlier in the week, GVSU defeated Ferris State in five sets and won a four-set battle at Northern Michigan last night.

MTU jumped out to an early 7-6 advantage in the opening set and the Huskies notched nine of the next dozen points to push their lead to 16-9. Grand Valley State would get as close as 22-19, but Michigan Tech would total the final three points for a 25-19 first set win. The opening set saw MTU hit .314 with 16 kills.

In the second set, the score was tied five different times, including a 19-19 deadlock late in the set. After a Husky service error, the Lakers would score three of the next four points, using a pair of Krysta Kornack kills to push ahead, 23-20. An ensuing kill from junior Rebeccah Rapin and another MTU error would close the set and tie the match at 1-1.

GVSU led early and for the majority of the third set, racing out to a 16-12 advantage. Michigan Tech rallied to knot the score at 19-19 and eventually jump out to a 22-21 lead. The Huskies would score three of the next four points to win the set.

The fourth set saw Grand Valley State go ahead quickly and hold the lead throughout the entire set. Junior Meghan Scanlon served the first three points, including a service ace, and the Lakers would extend the lead to 10-5 after another ace from freshman Olivia Kohler. MTU rallied to 11-9 before Grand Valley State notched eight of the next 10 points, including three kills from Rapin, to lead 19-11. GVSU would close the set moments later with a 25-16 win.

Michigan Tech held the lead for nearly the entire fifth set and owned a 8-3 advantage before GVSU rallied. Behind the serving of senior Katey Crichton and a kill from Kornack, the Lakers tied the score at 9-9. MTU then jumped ahead 10-9 and stayed at least a point ahead of Grand Valley State for the remainder of the set. After a Rapin kill made it 14-13, Michigan Tech scored the final point to win the five-set battle.

Rapin put forth a tremendous individual performance and led all players by notching 23 kills, one shy of her career-high. She hit .365 for the match, committing just four attack errors in 52 attempts. Kornack added eight kills and a pair of block assists.

Senior Whitney Tremain tallied seven kills and six digs, while freshman Eno Umoh added seven kills and a pair of block assists. Scanlon provided a team-high 23 assists, while Kohler notched 21 helpers. Junior Janelle Beaudry secured a match-high 26 digs.

For the match, GVSU hit .123 with 54 kills, while Michigan Tech connected at a .158 clip with 63 putaways. Grand Valley State had a slight lead in total blocks (9.0 to 8.0), while the Huskies picked up a dozen more digs (81-69).

Grand Valley State, now 2-4 in true road games, returns home to Fieldhouse Arena for a pair of matches next weekend (Sept. 25-26) against Lake Superior State and Saginaw Valley State.