Sept. 14, 2011
Box Score
Big Rapids, Mich. - The #18 Grand Valley State volleyball team dropped a straight set decision at GLIAC rival Ferris State on Wednesday (Sept. 14) night, 25-21, 25-15, 25-22. The Lakers were held to a season-low .118 hitting percentage in the loss. GVSU will now prepare for their home opener this weekend.
The first set looked promising for the Lakers as they built a 15-11 lead after a kill from freshman Abby Aiken. However, after a Ferris State service error gave GVSU an 18-15 lead, the Bulldogs scored the next six points to move ahead, 21-18. The Lakers got kills from sophomores Stacey Catalano and Lyndsey Holt to cut it to a 21-20 set, but Ferris State rebounded to take the first set, 25-21.
In the second set the Lakers held a 2-1 lead after a Catalano kill and a Bulldog service error, but Ferris State tied things back up at 6-6. The Bulldogs then went on a big run, scoring the next five points to go up 11-6. The Lakers didn't have things clicking in set two and fell by a 25-15 score.
GVSU held a 7-5 lead in the third set after a Ferris State service error and a 10-8 lead after a kill from sophomore Abby Ebels. The Bulldogs scored six of the next seven points to move ahead 14-11 but would battle back to a 17-all tie with a service ace from junior Eno Umoh. After a Ferris State timeout, the teams exchanged points to a 19-19 tie before the Bulldogs moved ahead 22-20. A kill from sophomore Megan Schroeder cut the lead in half and another Catalano kill made it a 23-22 Bulldog lead. Ferris State then buckled down and scored the final two points to end the set and win the match in straight sets.
Catalano led the Lakers with 10 kills and had 11 digs. Sophomore Sacha Gill recorded a team-high 15 digs while freshman Clair Ruhenkamp had two service aces to go with a team-high 19 assists. Senior Nicole Whiddon had four kills and recorded the second best hitting percentage on the team at .273.
GVSU, now 4-3 on the season with a 1-2 mark in GLIAC play, will prepare for their home opener on Friday (Sept. 16) night when they take on Lake Superior State at 7 p.m. in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.
