Sept. 10, 2011
Box Score
Marquette, Mich. - The #13 Grand Valley State volleyball team traveled to the upper peninsula on Saturday (Sept. 10) but fell in a five-set match to Northern Michigan, 3-2. The Lakers recorded a higher hitting percentage than the Wildcats and four less attack errors, but were on the losing end of the match, 25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-10.
GVSU held a 13-9 lead in the first set following a kill from senior Nicole Whiddon, but the Wildcats made a big surge, scoring the next seven points to take a 16-13 advantage. The Lakers would break the streak with a kill from sophomore Lyndsey Holt but it wasn't enough as Northern Michigan took the first set by a 25-19 score.
The two teams exchanged points up to a 4-4 score to start the second set before the Lakers pulled away for a 23-16 lead in the set after a solo block from sophomore Megan Schroeder. GVSU would take a 24-18 advantage on a kill from Schroeder but then two kills from the Wildcats and an attack error would cut the lead to 24-21. Finally the Lakers ended the set with a kill from junior Olivia Kohler, her only kill and attack in the match as GVSU tied the match at one set a piece.
In the third set, the Lakers jumped out to a 12-9 advantage on a Schroeder kill but a Northern Michigan rally would eventually tie the set at 18. Following a block assist from junior Eno Umoh and sophomore Abby Ebels, a Wildcat attack error would give the Lakers a 20-18 lead. Up 21-19 after a kill from sophomore Stacey Catalano, the Wildcats went on another run, scoring the next five points to turn the tables and take a 24-21 lead in the set. Another Schroeder kill cut the lead to 24-22, but Northern Michigan would put the set away, 25-22.
A hotly-contested fourth set saw neither team take more than a two-point lead through the duration of the set. Following a GVSU timeout after falling behind 21-20, Catalano would get a kill to tie the set at 21 before the Wildcats would take another one point lead at 22-21. Three straight points for the Lakers then came by way of two Catalano kills and a block assist from Ebels and Whiddon for a 24-22 GVSU lead. Northern Michigan would get another point to cut the lead in half but a Catalano kill would end the set at 25-23 and send the match to a deciding fifth set.
The Lakers started off quickly in the deciding set, going up 4-2 after a kill from Ebels. The Wildcats would come up with a surge though, scoring seven straight points to take a commanding 9-4 lead in the set. GVSU would get as close as 12-10 after a Schroeder kill, but Northern Michigan then scored the match's final three points to take the set and the match.
Ebels recorded a match-best .615 hitting percentage with eight kills and five block assists. Catalano again led the Lakers in kills with 16 while also recording 17 digs. Umoh hit .429 in the match with two solo blocks and three block assists while Schroeder also collected 12 kills with a .393 hitting percentage. Sophomore Sacha Gill led the Lakers with 20 digs and had one ace in the match. As a team, the Lakers collected 10 blocks and hit .248 with 22 attack errors compared to Northern Michigan hitting .242 with 26 errors.
GVSU falls to 3-2 on the year with starts off conference play 0-1. Northern Michigan is now 2-4 on the year with a 1-1 mark in the GLIAC. The Lakers will continue their trip to the upper peninsula with a match against Michigan Tech on Sunday (Sept. 11) at 3 p.m.
