Hillsdale (Friday, 7:00 p.m.): Live Stats
Northwood (Saturday, 5:00 p.m.): Live Stats
 
Grand Valley State volleyball will open conference play this weekend and simultaneously close its season-opening 10-match road trip. Coming off a perfect 4-0 trip to the Vulcan Invitational in California, Pa. last weekend, the Lakers travel to Hillsdale at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night (Sept. 16) before facing Northwood on Saturday evening (Sept. 17) at 5:00 p.m.
 
Familiar with playing in unfamiliar arenas, GVSU has played four-match tournaments on consecutive weekends - first at the Ferris State Invitational in Big Rapids and most recently at the Vulcan Invitational in Pennsylvania. This weekend, Grand Valley State stays on the road with a 7:00 p.m. start against Hillsdale and a 5:00 p.m. match at Northwood the following day.
 
After getting off to a tough 1-3 start at the extremely competitive FSU Invitational - the Lakers' three losses were to Minnesota Duluth, Winona State, and Cal Stat San Bernardino, all ranked inside the top-13 teams in Division II - GVSU got back on track with an unbeaten trip to the Vulcan Invitational. The Lakers dropped just two sets the entire weekend, with those coming to Adelphi, an East Region semifinalist team that went 27-5 last season.
 
Grand Valley State followed up the 3-2 victory over Adelphi with three consecutive sweeps, topping Davis & Elkins, California (PA), and Winston-Salem State in 3-0 routs. In that nine-set win streak, the Lakers won five sets by at least 10 points and all nine sets by more than four points.
 
With the undefeated tournament performance, three GVSU players were named to the Vulcan Invitational All-Tournament Team. Junior setter Katie Olson, sophomore middle blocker Staci Brower, and freshman middle blocker Jayci Suseland all received All-Tournament Team honors.
 
Brower took things one step further, as the reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year was selected as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week. In the four matches, she posted team-highs of 59 kills and 16 total blocks, while hitting an outstanding .495 in the victories. She leads the GLIAC in total blocks (37) and solo rejections (11), while ranking second in the league in block assists (26) and blocks per set (1.23). Additionally, she is third in total points (114.0) and ninth in hitting percentage (.320).
 
Olson handed out 134 assists and picked up 35 digs in the four matches, averaging 9.57 assists and 2.50 digs per set. Her top performance last weekend was a 41-assist, 15-dig performance in the five-set win over Adelphi. Olson is 11th in the conference in total assists (249) and 12th in assists per set (8.30).
 
In just her second weekend of collegiate volleyball, Suseland delivered 39 kills and six blocks while hitting .390 in the four matches. She also played well against Adelphi last weekend, posting a season-best 17 kills. Another freshman - outside hitter Kendall Yerkes - was second on the team in digs (42) and third in kills (32) and blocks (seven) at the Vulcan Invitational. Yerkes has already recorded four double-doubles on the year and is second on GVSU in kills (73) and tied for second in digs (98).
 
As a team, the Lakers have done a nice job defensively and serving the ball as well. Grand Valley State is third in the GLIAC in digs per set (16.80) and solo blocks (18), while ranking sixth in service aces (42). The team's 365 kills are also good for sixth-best in the league.
 
Friday's opponent - Hillsdale - is also a team riding a four-match winning streak. At 6-1 overall, the Chargers recorded a pair of wins before falling in a 3-0 sweep to Clarion at the Tony Banner Invitational in Clarion, Pa. on Sept. 3. After the loss, Hillsdale ran off four straight wins and dropped just one set in the process, defeating Clarion twice, Malone, and Pitt-Johnstown.
 
In the league's preseason poll, Hillsdale and its 41 total points finished just one point ahead of Grand Valley State and its 40 points. Both teams received a pair of first-place votes in the poll. Reigning GLIAC Blocker of the Year - senior Erin Holsinger - returns for the Chargers and leads the league with 1.30 blocks per set. Holsinger and GVSU's Brower lead the conference in nearly every blocking category through the first two weeks.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Kara Vyletel is leading the team in both kills (78) and digs (75), while sophomore right side Paige Vanderwall is second with 62 kills. Sophomore setter Taylor Bennett is the league leader with 11.39 assists per set. Hillsdale is first in the GLIAC in assists (13.00) and blocks (2.43) per set, while ranking second in kills per set (13.87) and fourth in hitting percentage (.222).
 
On Saturday, the Lakers will face a Northwood team that split its first two contests before winning five matches in a row at the North Alabama Invite and the Wayne State Invitational. Four of those five wins were 3-0 victories. Most recently, the 6-2 Timberwolves dropped a four-set non-conference decision to Wayne State last Saturday.
 
The 6-2 start is a promising sign for a team picked to finish in seventh place in the eight-team GLIAC North Division. With 11 new players on this year's roster, the T'Wolves are led by junior Allison Getty, who is second in the GLIAC in kills (102) and fourth in kills per set (3.64). She has also picked up 76 digs, third-most on the team.

Defensively, Northwood has freshman libero Sommer VandenBerge and her 4.22 digs per set, fourth-most in the GLIAC. Sophomore middle blocker Colleen Mayer is fifth in the GLIAC with 1.00 blocks per set and has 56 kills through the first seven matches. As a team, Northwood is fourth in blocks per set (2.00) and sixth in hitting percentage (.216).
 
After this weekend's road trip, GVSU will finally make its 2016 home debut next Saturday (Sept. 24). The Lakers will welcome Walsh to the Fieldhouse Arena at 4:00 p.m. for the first of eight home contests this season.