For the first time in 51 matches, the #11 Grand Valley State volleyball team was defeated in a 3-0 sweep. Against Missouri S&T on Saturday morning (Oct. 18) at the GLIAC-GLVC Crossover Tournament in Aurora, Ill., the Miners prevailed by winning all three sets with identical scores. S&T was victorious 25-23, 25-23, and 25-23.
 
The Lakers captured a 3-1 victory over fourth-seeded Lewis on Friday afternoon, their first match of the seventh annual Crossover Tournament. Missouri S&T, however, played a strong all-around match on Saturday and won three tight sets by the minimum two points. While GVSU falls to 14-3 overall, the sixth-seeded Miners improve to 12-9 on the year.
 
Grand Valley State had not been swept since falling at home on Sept. 6, 2013 to Saint Leo in just the second match of the season. The loss also snaps Grand Valley State's 12-match winning streak and is the team's first defeat since Sept. 6 in Golden, Colo. against Augustana.
 
Missouri S&T led in nearly every statistical category, including kills (48-36), hitting percentage (.237 to .151), assists (44-33), digs (43-40), and blocks (10-9). The Lakers doubled S&T in service aces, 4-2.
 
GVSU led the opening set 16-8 and appeared to be in control after a combined block from junior Betsy Ronda and freshman Sydney Doby. The Miners, however, scored the next four points and continued to chip away. S&T eventually knotted the score at 21-21 on a solo block and scored four of the next six points to prevail.
 
The second set was the opposite start for Missouri S&T, who jumped out to an 8-2 advantage and looked to cruise through the set. It was GVSU's turn to rally, as the Lakers came all the way back to tie the score and eventually take a 16-14 lead behind the serving of senior Christina Canepa and a big block by Doby and senior Kaitlyn Wolters. The set would be tied nine times, including points 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 before Missouri S&T pulled away with three of the final four points.
 
There was a similar start in set three for the Miners, who raced out to a 17-9 cushion. The Lakers continued to chip away and tallied six straight points to go from a 22-15 deficit to a 22-21 score. During the run, GVSU put up four blocks - a solo rejection by Ronda and three straight combined blocks that included senior Ally Simmons, who teamed with Ronda twice and classmate Kourtney Wolters on the other block. It was just a little too late, though, as the Lakers were unable to pull even on the scoreboard and Missouri S&T closed out the match with a final kill.

Grand Valley State had won seven consecutive matches at the Crossover Tournament, having not lost since the 2011 tournament against Lewis.
 
Sophomore Carley Gross led GVSU with eight kills in 14 swings for a .500 hitting percentage. Ronda supplied six kills, six digs, four blocks, and an ace, while Aiken added seven digs, five kills, and a solo block.
 
Kaitlyn Wolters recorded 27 assists, 11 digs, and five kills, while Doby and Simmons each blocked three shots. Canepa served two of the team's four aces and picked up eight digs.
 
The Lakers look to regroup on Saturday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. ET, as GVSU faces second-seed Rockhurst to close out the weekend.