After dropping the opening set on Saturday (Oct. 8) against Ashland, Grand Valley State battled back to win the final three sets and earn a hard-fought 3-1 victory. In an extremely close match that was tied 29 times and saw 13 lead changes, GVSU captured the win thanks to extra point victories in sets three and four (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 27-25).
 
It was an important victory for the Lakers, as it moved GVSU to 10-6 on the year and 5-3 in GLIAC play. Moreover, Grand Valley State is tied with Hillsdale for fourth place in the league standings heading into next week's Midwest Region Crossover in Aurora, Ill. The Lakers' three opponents at the tournament are determined by GVSU's conference standing and the team's two wins this weekend helped propel Grand Valley State into the top-four of the league.
 
Ashland drops to 10-8 on the year and 4-5 in the GLIAC standings. The Lakers' matches next weekend will be announced on Monday (Oct. 10).
 
On Saturday against the Eagles, Grand Valley State was much better offensively, owning a 64-43 advantage in kills and hitting .176 to Ashland's .098 clip. Defensively, the Lakers posted a 93-81 dig total and an 11-9 edge in total blocks. Ashland slightly got the better end on service aces, 4-3.
 
Freshman Jayci Suseland and sophomore Staci Brower combined for 30 total kills and 12 blocks in the contest. Suseland led all players with 19 kills and seven rejections (two solo), while Brower totaled 11 kills and just one error for a .385 percentage, while adding five blocks.
 
Both outside hitters for the Lakers nearly recorded double-doubles. Freshman Kendall Yerkes picked up a career-high and match-high 24 digs, while sophomore Brooke Smith nabbed 16 digs. Both players put down nine kills.
 
GVSU led the opening set by an 8-6 score before Ashland rattled off seven consecutive points to take a 13-8 cushion. The Lakers would rally and take at 16-15 edge on a service ace from senior Amanda Glaza. AU, however, would score the next three points and lead the remainder of the set, using a combined block to win the frame, 25-21.
 
The Lakers scored the first three points in the second set and notched five points in a row to open a 14-6 advantage, the last point coming on a solo rejection from Suseland after back-to-back kills from Smith. Later in the set, Brower nabbed a solo block and combined with Smith for another rejection, while Smith put down two more kills for a 24-15 lead. Sophomore Jillian Butsavich ended the frame with a kill and a 25-17 set two victory.
 
Ashland appeared to be in control in set three with a 19-14 lead, prompting a Grand Valley State timeout. Suseland and Yerkes came out of the timeout with consecutive kills and an Eagle error made the score 19-17. Ashland upped its advantage to 23-20 before Smith posted back-to-back kills and cut the deficit to 23-22. An Ashland error prompted the visitors to take a timeout. Immediately following, junior Katie Olson served up an ace though the Eagles tied the score for the eighth time in the set at 2-24 with a kill of their own. A service error gave GVSU the ball back and Butsavich teamed with Suseland for a set-ending block.
 
Midway through set four, Ashland again looked to have the advantage, owning a 16-12 lead, which GVSU followed with a timeout. Trailing 17-13, the Lakers scored five straight points - with kills from Yerkes, Smith, and Brower - and took an 18-17 edge. The set would remain incredibly close, with the score being tied at points 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. With Ashland serving and the score tied 25-25, Brower posted her second straight clutch kill to give GVSU the slim one-point lead. An Eagle attack fell out-of-bounds and gave the Lakers the tough four-set win, as the fourth frame was tied 13 different times.
 
Three GVSU players recorded double-doubles in digs and assists. Olson, the starting setter, notched 29 assists and 14 digs, while sophomore Taylor Stewart came off the bench to post 15 assists and 10 digs. She added a pair of kills. Glaza picked up 20 digs and 10 assists, to go with an ace.
 
Junior Sydney Doby came back from an injury to post eight kills in just 16 attacks for a .312 hitting percentage. Butsavich supplied five kills and four block assists.

The Lakers will play three matches next Friday and Saturday (Oct. 14-15) at the ninth annual Crossover Tournament, the largest collegiate volleyball tournament in the country.