A large opening set victory was the start to a good night for the Grand Valley State volleyball team on Friday night (Oct. 7) in Allendale. In the team's annual 'Dig Pink' match, GVSU captured a 3-1 victory over Tiffin (25-10, 19-25, 25-20, 25-21), closing out the contest with a pair of tough wins in sets three and four.

The Laker offense held a large edge over Tiffin in the kills department, as GVSU put together a 62-40 advantage in kills over the Dragons, including a wide 18-7 margin in the lopsided first set. For the match, Grand Valley State owned a .258 hitting percentage, while Tiffin connected at a .097 clip.

GVSU improves to 9-6 overall and 4-3 in GLIAC play, while the Dragons fall to 9-7 on the year and 3-5 in conference action. 

Even more than just the Laker offense was a strong performance from the Grand Valley State defense. The Lakers led Tiffin in digs (75-57) and total blocks (11-9), while maintaining a clear 59-39 edge in assists. TU produced five aces to Grand Valley State's four.

Freshman right side Jayci Suseland produced a career-high and Laker season-high 20 kills, while hitting .630 and committing just three attack errors in 27 swings. She also supplied five total blocks and three digs.

Three Laker sophomores put together strong efforts, as well. Middle hitter Staci Brower totaled 11 kills and four blocks (two solo) and classmate Jillian Butsavich put away nine kills in 17 swings for a .412 hitting percentage, while leading the way with six total blocks. Outside hitter Brooke Smith produced a double-double with 15 digs and 11 kills and served up three of the team's four aces.

While the opening set turned into a blowout, it did not start that way. The frame was tied five times, including a 5-5 deadlock and GVSU led just 9-7 before making a big 7-0 run behind Smith's strong serving. Butsavich started the run with a kill and combined with freshman Kendall Yerkes on a block two points later, while Suseland (two kills) and Smith (two aces) helped the Lakers move to a 16-7 advantage. Suseland added two more kills, junior setter Katie Olson delivered her second kill of the frame, and Brower finished the set with a kill from Olson, as GVSU cruised to the tune of a .500 hitting percentage (18 kills, one error). The Lakers were also a perfect 10-for-10 on sideout opportunities in the frame.

Tiffin responded in set two with a 5-1 lead, though the Lakers stormed back to take a 7-6 advantage after a Brower-Olson combined block and a solo rejection by Brower on the next point. With GVSU leading 10-9, Tiffin scored five straight points as part of a 9-1 run and opened a wide 18-11 gap. Grand Valley State made things close near the end of the set, but could not complete the comeback.

Similar to Tiffin's strong start after dropping set one, GVSU did the same after falling in set two. The Lakers opened a 10-4 advantage in the third set after back-to-back-to-back kills from Brower, Smith, and Yerkes. However, the Dragons continued to chip away and scored four straight points to knot the score at 16-16, but could never take the lead. The set was tied at points 16, 17, 18, and 20, but from there, the Lakers scored the final five points of the stanza - the last two of which came on a Brower solo block and a Brower-Suseland combined rejection.

Set four saw Tiffin lead early 9-5 before GVSU rattled off a 10-2 run, with Butsavich combining on consecutive blocks with Yerkes and then Suseland. Butsavich had a solo block, another block assist, and a kill during the surge that put the Lakers on top, 15-11. TU again rallied and got within a point at 15-14 before a Suseland kill and a Dragon error made it 17-14. At 20-18, Smith put down a kill, then Suseland notched a solo block, and again combined with Butsavich for a rejection and a 23-18 advantage. The final two points came on Suseland's 19th and 20th kills of the contest, the first Laker to reach 20 kills in a match this season.

Butsavich provided five total blocks and three kills in four swings in just the fourth set, while Suseland added five kills in seven attempts and four blocks. In the opening set, Suseland took eight swings and connected on seven kills, followed by five kills in six attempts in set two.

Olson dished out a season-high 50 assists and notched 14 digs and three kills in the win. Yerkes neared a double-double with 14 digs, seven kills, and a pair of block assists. Senior Amanda Glaza tied Smith for a team-high 15 digs and added the Lakers' other ace, while freshman Sydney Benchley picked up a dozen digs and handed out four assists.

Grand Valley State is at home again on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 8) against Ashland at 4:00 p.m. during GVSU Volleyball Alumni Day, as Laker alumni will be recognized in between sets two and three of the contest.