Oct. 30, 2010

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - #18 Grand Valley State rolled to another 3-0 win on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 30), as the Lakers swept Ohio Dominican (25-18, 28-26, 25-19) to win their 13th consecutive match. The Panthers put up a fight, but GVSU was able to utilize 14 players in clinching its 14th sweep of the season and end a perfect 3-0 week at Fieldhouse Arena.

The victory pushes Grand Valley State's overall record to 19-5 on the year, as the Lakers are 15-2 in conference play. Ohio Dominican falls to 7-16 overall, 2-13 in league play. GVSU completed a perfect 3-0 week with 3-0 sweeps over Saginaw Valley State, Tiffin, and Ohio Dominican, all coming at Fieldhouse Arena, where the Lakers are 7-1 on the year.

Ohio Dominican jumped out early to a 3-2 lead in the first set, before Grand Valley State scored six straight points, started by a combined block from senior Rebeccah Rapin and freshman Abby Ebels. The run continued with the strong serving from freshman libero Sacha Gill, who served up the next five points, while totaling a pair of service aces. Freshman Stacey Catalano notched a pair of kills and Rapin added one in the 5-0 run to push the score out to 8-3. ODU cut the lead down to 13-11 midway through the set, but the Lakers extended the score out to 23-14 after a kill from senior Leslie Curtis. Ahead 24-18, GVSU used a kill from sophomore Eno Umoh to end the set at 25-18.

The second set was the closet of the match, as the teams were tied 16 teams and the score changed hands on seven occasions. Grand Valley State was ahead 10-6 on a kill from Catalano, but the Panthers scored four straight points to tie the set at 10-10. The set was tied again at points 14, 15, 18, and 19 before GVSU began to pull away with a 23-20 lead after an ace from senior Krysta Kornack. However, Ohio Dominican battled back to tie the score at 23-23 and actually took a 25-24 lead. Curtis answered with a kill, which was followed by Catalano's kill to make the score 26-25 in GVSU's favor. ODU tied the score again before a rare kill from senior setter Meghan Scanlon gave the Lakers a one-point cushion. The set ended on a double block from Kornack and junior Nicole Whiddon, giving GVSU a tough 28-26 win.

Grand Valley State trailed 9-7 in the third set before scoring four straight points on kills from Umoh, Whiddon, and Ebels and a double block by Ebels and Curtis. GVSU led 13-11 and scored five points in a row for an 18-11 run, again featuring Gill and Catalano. Gill's serving (including an ace) and three consecutive kills from Catalano gave the Lakers a seven-point advantage. Ohio Dominican rallied back to within 24-19 before a Panther attack error ended the set at 25-19.

For the match, GVSU hit .252 with 41 kills, while holding Ohio Dominican to a .156 hitting mark with just 38 putaways. The Lakers defense recorded more blocks (9-4) and digs (69-61), including Gill's 25 digs, which tied a career-high. The freshman also added a career-high three service aces and passed for five assists. Her tallies helped GVSU notch more assists (47-35) and aces (5-3).

Offensively, Catalano led the Lakers with 14 kills and added 12 digs and three blocks on the defensive side. Curtis notched a double-double with 18 digs and 11 kills, including six kills and nine digs in the second set alone. Kornack put down six kills and supplied two blocks and an ace, while Umoh provided five kills and four total blocks.

Ebels recorded career-highs in kills (seven) and blocks (three), while Whiddon added four kills and a block. Both Scanlon (seven digs, one ace, one kill) and sophomore Olivia Kohler (four digs) dished out 20 assists.

Grand Valley State closes out the GLIAC regular season next weekend (Nov. 5-7) with a pair of home matches. First up is Northwood on Friday (Nov. 5), as the Lakers and Timberwolves meet in a 7:00 p.m. contest. Earlier this season in Midland, GVSU rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat NU in a five-set battle.