Oct. 2, 2011

Box Score |  Postgame Comments

Allendale, Mich. - The Grand Valley State volleyball team lost in straight sets to Ferris State on Sunday (Oct. 2) by scores of 25-15, 27-25 and 25-22. The Lakers, one of the better blocking teams in the conference, tied a season-low with only three rejections in the match.

GVSU took an early lead in set one on a kill from sophomore Megan Schroeder and after Ferris State took a 3-1 lead, the Lakers battled back to a 4-4 tie after a kill from junior Eno Umoh. The Bulldogs took control after that, scoring the next two points and coasting to a 25-15 victory in the first set.

The Lakers fell behind 10-4 in the second set after the Bulldogs' second block in three points but then battled back to a 21-17 deficit. The Lakers scored the next five points, including two straight block assists from freshman Clair Ruhenkamp and Umoh with help from a Schroeder service ace, to take a 22-21 lead in the set. The Bulldogs looked to be on the verge of coming back for the set victory, going up 24-22 but the Lakers got a kill from senior Courtney McCotter and forced an attack error by Ferris State to tie the set at 24. A Ferris State kill was countered with a kill from freshman Abby Aiken to keep things tied at 25, but a Bulldog kill and block put the second set away for Ferris State by a 27-25 score.

It was another come-from-behind affair in the third set for the Lakers as they fell behind 10-5 but then scored four straight points with help from Aiken and Schroeder kills to cut the lead to 10-9. GVSU tied the set up at 15 after an Umoh kill and then took a one point advantage off a kill from Aiken at 16-15. Three straight Bulldog kills gave the lead back to Ferris State, 18-16 and another Umoh kill kept the Lakers close at 18-17. Two straight Ferris State kills again gave the Bulldogs breathing room at 20-17 but again the Lakers battled back, getting kills from sophomore Lyndsey Holt and Schroeder to make it 20-19. Ferris State got two straight points but kills from Aiken and Schroeder kept the score at 22-21. The teams exchanged kills to make it a 23-22 set but a Ferris State kill and Laker attack error closed the book on the straight set victory for the Bulldogs.

Aiken led the Lakers in kills with 15 while Schroeder and Umoh each had eight. Schroeder led the team with a .375 hitting percentage with Umoh hitting .294. Holt recorded seven kills and 11 digs. Freshman Christina Canepa led the way in digs with 14 while freshman Clair Ruhenkamp had her second straight match of 40-plus assists and also tallied two block assists.

The Lakers fall to 7-7 on the year with a 4-6 mark in the GLIAC while Ferris State moves to 13-1 (9-1). Grand Valley State will get back on the court on Friday (Oct. 7) when they travel to Ohio to take on Ashland at 7 p.m.