Grand Valley State used its most efficient offensive performance in a GLIAC match this season, defeating Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 5). GVSU notched a .324 team hitting percentage in a 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-17, 25-15) over the home Lakers to snap a winless three-match skid.
 
With the victory, Grand Valley State improves to 14-12 on the year and moves back above .500 with an 8-7 GLIAC record. It was GVSU's seventh 3-0 sweep of the season. Lake Superior State falls to 3-24 on the season and 0-15 in conference action.
 
While GVSU owned a large 45-23 advantage in kills over Lake Superior State, a pair of Lakers - sophomore Staci Brower and freshman Jayci Suseland - tallied more kills than LSSU as an entire team. Brower provided a match-best 13 kills, committed only one error, hit .480, and added four block assists. Suseland put down 12 kills with a .381 hitting percentage and the newcomer tabbed a pair of block assists.
 
Grand Valley State hit .324 in the match, including marks of .344 in set one and .444 in the second stanza. Sophomore Jillian Butsavich recorded eight kills and only one error in 14 attempts for a .500 hitting clip, while totaling three blocks. Fellow sophomore Shannon Winicki added seven kills and two blocks, as well.
 
Junior setter Katie Olson handed out 34 assists and notched seven digs, three block assists, a pair of kills, and a service ace. Freshman Kendall Yerkes tied sophomore Taylor Stewart for a team-high 11 digs, while Yerkes added three kills and a pair of aces. Both liberos Sydney Benchley and Amanda Glaza picked up eight digs and Benchley served up three of GVSU's six aces.
 
Statistically, Grand Valley State held LSSU to a .049 hitting percentage and GVSU owned advantages in assists (38-20), aces (6-4), digs (50-41), and blocks (7-4).
 
In the opening set, GVSU used an 8-2 run to open an early 12-5 cushion, including two kills apiece from Butsavich and Suseland and an Olson ace. Suseland and Brower teamed for back-to-back kills and a 14-7 edge. Still on top 21-14, Grand Valley State closed out the first frame with four straight kills from Suseland, Butsavich, Winicki, and Butsavich again.
 
GVSU's offense was at its best in set two, posting 18 kills and just two errors. After a Lake Superior State ace made the score 11-10, Grand Valley State responded with a 4-0 run including a pair of Brower kills and another from Suseland. It was 17-12 in GVSU's favor when Brower notched consecutive kills, then teamed with Olson for a block assist. Olson followed up that block with a kill of her own and a 21-12 lead. Brower and Olson teamed again for another block a few points later and Butsavich and Suseland finished the frame with two kills in a row and a 25-17 win.
 
The third set was close at 10-9 until Grand Valley State's 9-0 run completely put the set in the visiting Lakers' control. Suseland began the nine-point surge with a kill and Benchley tallied three service aces during the run. After Benchley's third ace, the GVSU lead was 19-9. Grand Valley State closed out the home Lakers later with kills from Winicki and Butsavich and a combined rejection by the same duo.
 
Grand Valley State will close out the regular season next weekend back home in Allendale. GVSU will face Northwood on Friday night (Nov. 11) before taking on Hillsdale on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 12).