Sept. 26, 2010

Box Score

Detroit, Mich. - Grand Valley State completed its three-match road weekend with a 3-0 sweep (27-25, 25-21, 26-24) at Wayne State on Sunday (Sept. 26). The Lakers also swept Findlay on Friday night before earning their fifth sweep of the season against the Warriors. GVSU improves to 6-2 in GLIAC play and has won four of its five road conference matches this season.

The Lakers are now 7-5 on the season with a 6-2 league record, as Wayne State falls to 7-5 on the year, 5-3 in league play. On its current seven-match road trip, GVSU is 4-1 with a pair of matches next weekend. Grand Valley State had four players with at least six kills on Sunday against the Warriors and earned a solid road victory.

In the opening set, Wayne State led 12-8 and held a 15-12 advantage until GVSU rallied to tie the score. Three straight kills from seniors Rebeccah Rapin, Leslie Curtis, and Krysta Kornack knotted the set at 15-15. Trailing 17-16, the Lakers again put together a small run, scoring the next four points to take a 20-17 advantage. The set became tied at points 21, 23, 24, and 25 before GVSU used a Rapin kill and a service ace from sophomore Olivia Kohler to end the set with a 27-25 win.

The second set was tied 13 times, while neither team led by more than three points until the end of the frame. With the score at 20-20, Grand Valley State used a 5-1 run to move up two sets to none with a 25-21 win. Kornack and sophomore Eno Umoh shined in the final six points, as Kornack tallied two kills and a combined block with Umoh, who also added the set's final point on a kill. GVSU managed to win the set despite a .030 hitting percentage and just seven kills.

Wayne State looked to get back into the match with early leads of 6-1, 9-2, and 15-9 in the third set. The Lakers mounted their comeback on a service ace from senior Meghan Scanlon and consecutive kills from Rapin, both assisted by Scanlon. At this point, GVSU trailed just 15-13. WSU then opened up a 19-14 lead and looked to pull away. However, the Lakers scored six of the next seven points on the serving of Kohler. Catalano had a pair of kills, Rapin added a putaway, and Kohler notched an ace during the 6-1 run.

The Warriors put forth a 4-0 run of its own to go ahead 24-20, but GVSU was not done. Down to match point, Grand Valley State used four straight kills from Catalano, Curtis, Catalano again, and Kornack (three of the four assisted by Kohler) to tie the set at 24-24. Curtis then notched a solo block to give the Lakers a 25-24 lead and WSU recorded a hitting error to end the set and match.

Neither team hit very well offensively, as the Lakers totaled a .152 percentage, as Wayne State connected at a .139 clip. GVSU recorded seven service aces and 11 total team blocks, while the Warriors dished out more assists (38-28) and totaled more digs (52-41).

Rapin and Catalano shared the team-high in kills, with seven apiece. Catalano added five digs and an ace, while Rapin blocked four shots, including two solo rejections. Kornack and Curtis each had six kills for the Lakers. Curtis added five blocks (four assisted) and eight digs, while Kornack served up a pair of aces and blocked two shots.

Umoh led all players with a match-high six blocks (five assisted), while junior Nicole Whiddon added four kills (no errors) in nine attempts for a .444 hitting percentage. Scanlon provided 16 assists, seven digs, and two aces, as Kohler supplied 11 assists, four digs, and a pair of aces. Freshman Sacha Gill led GVSU with 13 digs.

The Lakers return to action on Friday (Oct. 1) with a 7:00 p.m. match at Ferris State against the rival Bulldogs. Grand Valley State defeated FSU in a four-set win in Allendale on Sept. 15.