Sept. 24, 2011
Box Score
Allendale, Mich. - The #20 Grand Valley State volleyball team collected a total of 14 blocks and came back from a 2-1 set deficit to defeat Findlay on Saturday (21-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-23, 16-14) in a wild five-set decision.
In the first set, the Lakers held a 14-8 advantage after a Findlay attack error but the Oilers went on a tear to eventually take an 18-16 lead in the set. GVSU used a service ace from junior Eno Umoh to tie the set back up at 19 and then, when trailing 21-20, the Oilers got the next three points to take a 24-20 advantage. After a kill from sophomore Sam Phillips cut the lead to 24-21, Findlay nailed the first set down with a kill of their own to win 25-21.
Roles were reversed in the second set, as the Oilers actually controlled the match up to a 20-15 lead but a kill from sophomore Stacey Catalano started a rally that saw the Lakers score six straight points and take a 21-20 lead on a Findlay attack error. The teams exchanged points to a 22-22 tie but a kill from Catalano and then two straight kills from freshman Abby Aiken gave the Lakers a 25-22 victory in the second set.
In the third set, Findlay jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead and never looked back as they cruised to a 25-13 victory to take a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Findlay held an 11-6 advantage in the fourth set and seemed poised to take the match, but two straight blocks from the Lakers, both involving junior Eno Umoh, cut the lead to 11-8. A Findlay attack error made it 11-9 and GVSU found themselves back in the match. Findlay extended the lead again out to 18-15 later in the set, but four straight Laker kills, two from Catalano and one each from Umoh and senior Courtney McCotter, gave GVSU a 19-18 advantage. The teams exchanged points again to a 22-all tie before an attack error from Aiken gave the Oilers a 23-22 lead. She redeemed herself after a timeout, nailing home a kill to tie it back up at 23. A Findlay attack error and set-winning kill from Catalano then forced a deciding fifth set in the match as the Lakers took a 25-23 victory.
The fifth set was a back-and-forth affair as GVSU took a quick 2-0 lead and led still at 5-3 before Findlay rallied to take a 10-8 lead. Three straight points for the Lakers off the strength of two Aiken kills made it an 11-10 GVSU advantage, but two Oiler kills changed the lead again as Findlay went up 12-11.
Findlay had match point when the score was 14-13 in favor of the Oilers, but the Lakers rallied. An attack error from Findlay after a long rally tied it up at 14 before a Catalano kill put the Lakers in the driver's seat at 15-14. Finally, the Lakers completed their comeback by forcing another Findlay attack error to take the set 16-14 and the match by a 3-2 score, their second five-set affair in as many days.
The Lakers struggled all match long, offensively, hitting only .060 in the victory. Aiken had a team-high 12 kills while Catalano had 11 kills to go with 20 digs. Freshman setter Clair Ruhenkamp had 20 digs to go with 31 assists while freshman Christina Canepa was the third Laker to have 20 digs in the match. Phillips and McCotter proved to be spark plugs for the offense, as Phillips had four kills with a .222 hitting percentage and McCotter notched seven kills and a .400 hitting percentage.
Umoh had an impressive eight blocks, one solo. Phillips had four block assists while McCotter and senior Nicole Whiddon each had three.
The Oilers fall to 3-8 on the year, 1-6 in the GLIAC.
The Lakers, now 7-4 (4-3 GLIAC) on the season, will take on #10 Hillsdale on Sunday (Sept. 25) in a televised match on Comcast 900 at 2 p.m. for their third match in three days.
