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The 2014 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament returns to its 2013 location, as GVSU's Fieldhouse Arena will be the host of the conference semifinals and finals. On Saturday afternoon (Nov. 15) at 4:00 p.m., #16 Grand Valley State and Saginaw Valley State will battle for a spot in Sunday's championship match.
 
GVSU, the defending GLIAC tournament champions, enters this weekend as the #1 seed and is the only school to return from last year's Final Four teams. The Lakers were one of four teams to win their Wednesday quarterfinal match in a 3-0 sweep. #5 Saginaw Valley State, however, was the only road team to do so, as the Cardinals traveled up to Marquette and blanked #4 Northern Michigan, 3-0, on Wednesday night.
 
The second semifinal on Saturday will begin at 6:30 p.m. and is between #2 Ferris State and #3 Findlay, as the Bulldogs and Oilers swept Hillsdale and Malone, respectively. Sunday's championship contest starts at 4:00 p.m.
 
Grand Valley State has put together a nice stretch over the past two weeks, as the Lakers have won their last five matches in 3-0 sweeps. That includes a 3-0 win over Ohio Dominican in the GLIAC quarterfinals on Wednesday night, with GVSU winning by set scores of 25-15, 25-11, and 25-18.
 
In the win over ODU, the Lakers hit .209 with 35 kills, while holding the Panthers to a .016 hitting percentage (26 kills, 24 errors). Defensively, Grand Valley State was also strong, picking up 66 digs, seven blocks, and five service aces.
 
That victory puts GVSU at 22-4 overall and keeps the Lakers' perfect home record intact at 10-0. It is the 11th time in program history that Grand Valley State has reached at least 10 consecutive home wins. Nine of the 10 Laker wins inside the Fieldhouse Arena this season have been 3-0 sweeps.
 
Saginaw Valley State has given GVSU two tough matches this season, with the Lakers coming away with both victories. On Sept. 13 in University Center, SVSU went ahead 2-0 before Grand Valley State came back to win the final three sets - including a 16-14 win in the fifth frame.
 
Last Friday (Nov. 7) in Allendale, the Lakers won by a 3-0 score, but trailed 16-11 in the first set and 24-21 in set two before rallying to win both sets and eventually the match. Final set scores were 25-23, 30-28, and 25-17. Of the six sets GVSU has won over the Cardinals this season, five have been decided by four points or less.
 
These teams met in the GLIAC Tournament last season, with the Lakers sweeping Saginaw Valley State in the quarterfinal round (25-16, 25-15, 25-16). Grand Valley State then defeated Northwood (3-1) and Ashland (3-2) to capture the tournament championship, the team's first since 2008.
 
This is the 19th GLIAC Tournament appearance that the Lakers have made, with GVSU owning a 33-14 record in league tournament action. Grand Valley State is 2-1 all-time against SVSU in the conference tournament, including a 3-1 win in the 2008 championship match. The team's six GLIAC tournament championships came in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2013.