Nov. 7, 2010

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Allendale, Mich. - #15 Grand Valley State earned its fifth straight sweep and 15th consecutive win overall with a 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-19, 25-18) over visiting Lake Superior State on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 7). The home Lakers totaled 10 blocks and six aces to win on Senior Day and capture the third GLIAC North Division Championship in the last four years, as GVSU now looks ahead to postseason play.

With the win, Grand Valley State improves to 21-5 on the year with a 17-2 record in GLIAC play. GVSU has not lost since Sept. 25 at Hillsdale and since that match, the Lakers have rolled off 15 straight wins, with 12 of those victories being 3-0 sweeps. After falling to Northern Michigan on Sept. 12, GVSU was 1-1 in conference play before winning 16 of its final 17 league matches and earning the #2 seed in next week's GLIAC Tournament.

The Lakers will host seventh-seeded Northwood on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. in Fieldhouse Arena. Just two days ago, on Friday night (Nov. 5), Grand Valley State swept the Timberwolves in just 59 minutes, playing one of its better matches of the season. On Sept. 17 in Northwood, the Lakers needed a late comeback after trailing 2-1 to earn a tough 3-2 victory over the Timberwolves.

Prior to Sunday's match against LSSU, the four Grand Valley State seniors (Leslie Curtis, Krysta Kornack, Rebeccah Rapin, and Meghan Scanlon) were honored. The senior class, in addition to clinching its third GLIAC North Division title, put together a terrific 103-26 record, including a 60-9 mark in conference play. In the group's final regular season home match, the foursome upped their four-year home record to 46-4. All four players had a big role in the win on Sunday.

After trailing 1-0, Grand Valley State scored five straight points on the serving of Curtis, as Rapin tallied three kills in the 5-0 run. Lake Superior State rallied back to tie the score at 5-5 and stay within three points until late in the set when GVSU took a 22-18 lead after a 3-0 run used kills from Kornack and junior Nicole Whiddon. LSSU, however, scored the next four points and tied the score at 22-22, while the set was again tied (for the eighth time) at 23-23. GVSU responded with a kill from Rapin and an ace from Curtis that struck the top of the net on its way over and fell harmlessly to the floor, giving the home Lakers a 25-23 first set win.

Grand Valley State jumped ahead 4-1 in the second set before LSSU rallied to take a 5-4 advantage. The teams would stay close throughout the set, as Lake Superior State's defense kept the team in the match. Leading 15-14, GVSU scored four straight points on two LSSU attack errors and kills from Rapin and freshman Stacey Catalano to push out to a 19-14 lead. A 4-0 run with Catalano serving up two aces put Grand Valley State ahead at 24-17 and the home team would close out the set on a service error from Lake Superior State for a 25-19 win.

LSSU tied the set at 7-7 before Grand Valley State put together a 7-2 run with kills from Kornack, Curtis, Catalano, and Whiddon and double blocks consisting of Whiddon and sophomore Eno Umoh and one of Rapin and Whiddon. At that point, GVSU led 14-9 and would extend to a 17-13 lead. Catalano then notched a kill and an ace on back-to-back points and after a kill from Curtis, the home Lakers were up 20-13. Later in the set, it was a pair of seniors - Scanlon dishing to Rapin for the kill - that ended the match with a 25-18 third set win.

For the match, GVSU notched a .266 hitting percentage with 43 kills, while Lake Superior State hit .202 with 40 kills. LSSU totaled more assists (40-39) and digs (48-43), but Grand Valley State tallied more blocks (10-3) and aces (6-2).

Rapin continued to play very well, as she notched match-highs of 15 kills and six blocks, while hitting .393 for the contest. Catalano helped the cause with 11 kills, a .375 hitting percentage, nine digs, and a career-high four service aces. Kornack supplied six kills, four block assists, and three digs.

Umoh recorded three kills in seven swings, while adding four block assists, as Whiddon also tallied three kills and had a hand in five blocks. Scanlon neared a double-double with 21 assists and eight digs, while freshman Sacha Gill had a team-high 11 digs and added five assists. Curtis totaled five digs, three kills, an an ace.