#18 Grand Valley State, the back-to-back defending conference champions, got off to a great start in GLIAC play on Friday night (Sept. 18) in Allendale. The Lakers swept visiting Wayne State by set scores of 25-23, 25-12, and 25-21 in a match that featured 21 ties and 12 lead changes.

It was the opening weekend for all GLIAC teams. GVSU improved its overall record to 5-4 on the year and 1-0 in league play, while Wayne State drops to 3-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference action. The Lakers will be back in action on Saturday (Sept. 19) afternoon against Saginaw Valley State, who entered Friday night's contest at Ferris State with a perfect 8-0 record before falling to the Bulldogs in straight sets. 

Three Laker freshmen playing their first conference match - Staci Brower, Jillian Butsavich, and Brooke Smith - combined for 20 of GVSU's 43 kills. Senior Betsy Ronda had a terrific match, posting a double-double and leading all players with 15 digs and 10 kills. 

As far as the freshmen, Brower notched eight kills in just 14 attacks and recorded seven total blocks (two solo), while Butsavich supplied seven kills (and only one error) in 13 swings. Smith contributed five kills, while senior Jessica Majerle delivered seven kills and a solo block. Fellow classmate Kourtney Wolters also had a solo block (as did Butsavich), added four more block assists, and put down four kills without an error.

GVSU tallied a 43-29 advantage in kills, but the Lakers' defense was also strong. Wayne State hit just .071 in the match, while Grand Valley State hit .283 and owned a 10-7 edge in blocks. The Lakers - who recorded five solo blocks - also picked up 49 digs to just 36 for WSU. Grand Valley State doubled the Warriors in service aces, 4-2.

Set one was tied 13 different times, but Wayne State notched five straight points to take a 16-12 advantage. The Warriors were in control at 20-14 before GVSU scored four straight points, including consecutive kills from Butsavich, Smith, and Majerle. WSU was ahead 22-20, but committed three straight errors to give the Lakers a 23-22 lead. Tied for the final time at 23-23, Brower put away back-to-back kills (one from sophomore Katie Olson, one from freshman Taylor Stewart) to end the first frame.

Offensively, Grand Valley State was at its apex in set two. The Lakers took 24 attacks, secured 14 kills, and committed just two errors for a .500 hitting percentage in the second set. Two kills from Majerle, another from Ronda, and an ace from senior libero Taylor Shomin pushed the GVSU lead out to 17-8. The Lakers earned their final seven points, with two Ronda kills, the final point of the set on a Butsavich kill, and Brower with two kills, two combined blocks (one with Smith, one with Wolters), and a service ace. WSU hit -.029 on 34 attacks in the second set.

The third stanza was tied at 15-15 until Wolters untied it for the final time with a kill. She then teamed with Brower for a combined rejection before a solo block by Brower on the very next play. It was 19-18 in GVSU's favor when Wolters and Butsavich delivered consecutive kills. Wayne State would get as close as 23-21, but Ronda put away back-to-back kills to end the set and the match.

Olson's 20 assists led the Lakers, while she added seven kills, and an ace. Stewart passed for 18 assists and totaled six digs and a kill in her only attempt. Shomin picked up 11 digs.