Despite losing the opening set at Northwood on Saturday evening (Sept. 17), Grand Valley State battled back to win three tight sets and capture a 3-1 road victory over the Timberwolves. All three stanzas GVSU won on Saturday were by less than five points, as the Lakers improved to 6-4 with the four-set win (16-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-22).
 
Grand Valley State was playing less than 24 hours after falling in a tough five-set defeat at Hillsdale on Friday (Sept. 16), which included a 15-13 loss in the decisive fifth set. On the other hand, Northwood swept Ferris State on Friday night in the GLIAC opener for both teams.
 
The Lakers are 6-4 overall and 1-1 in GLIAC play, while Northwood is 7-3 on the season and also 1-1 in the conference.
 
Sophomore Brooke Smith put together a very strong effort, posting a match-best 18 digs and leading the Lakers with 12 kills. She was joined in double-digits by sophomore Staci Brower, who recorded 11 kills, a .364 attack clip, and four blocks. The third GVSU player in double figures was freshman Jayci Suseland, who posted 10 kills and four total blocks.
 
Junior Sydney Doby - playing her first weekend of action after an early-season injury - notched a match-best seven blocks (one solo) and put down eight kills in 20 attempts for a .300 hitting percentage. Overall, GVSU outblocked the Timberwolves 12-6, including a 3-0 edge in solo rejections.
 
The match was extremely close throughout the night, as the score was tied 31 times and the lead changed hands on 11 occasions.
 
There was not a single tie score or lead change in set one, when Northwood sprinted out to a 9-2 lead. A combined block by Doby and freshman Kendall Yerkes - followed by a Doby kill - made it 9-5. Northwood would hold a comfortable lead throughout the rest of the set, as GVSU managed just a .026 hitting percentage in the frame.
 
Set two would be a different offensive set for the Lakers, as Grand Valley State posted 16 kills and a .419 clip in the second stanza. Two kills from Suseland and a Suseland-Smith block had GVSU out in front, 6-3. Northwood would rally and knot the score at 10-10 and the set would be tied again at every point through 15-15. A Brower kill and a solo block from sophomore Jillian Butsavich put the Lakers on top 17-15, but Northwood would keep it tied at points 20, 21, and 22. From there, GVSU would score the final three points on a Timberwolf error and two kills from Yerkes to even the match at one set apiece.
 
An 11-8 lead after a Smith kill and a solo block from Brower would be erased by three straight points from Northwood. The set would be tied 10 times, including the final time at 18-18. From there, Brower and Doby would team up for a pair of combined blocks and Doby would add a kill to make the score 22-20. A kill from Smith and back-to-back Northwood errors would end the frame at 25-20 in the Lakers' favor.
 
GVSU quickly jumped in front 8-4 in the fourth set behind three Suseland kills, but Northwood would score five straight points to lead 9-8. A Brower kill would put the Lakers in front 12-10 and two more kills from Brower had Grand Valley State on top, 14-12. The turning point would come after Northwood got back out in front, 19-17. Smith put down consecutive kills, followed by a Brower putaway, and a Doby solo block, pushing the Lakers back out in front 21-19. After Northwood scored to make it 21-20, Smith and Doby posted back-to-back kills and gave GVSU the 23-20 cushion. Kills from Brower and Doby would finish off the set and the match for the Lakers.
 
Northwood actually totaled more kills (54-51) than Grand Valley State, although the Lakers were more efficient with a .208 hitting percentage, while NU hit just .146. GVSU led in assists (49-48) and digs (78-71), including the large 12-6 edge in blocks.
 
Yerkes neared a double-double with 15 digs and eight kills, while senior libero Amanda Glaza picked up 11 digs in the win. Junior setter Katie Olson handed out 34 assists and recorded 13 digs, while sophomore Taylor Stewart passed for 10 assists and added seven digs and a block.
 
After the season-opening 10-match road trip, the Lakers are at home next Saturday (Sept. 24) for their home opener. GVSU will host Walsh at 4:00 p.m. inside the Fieldhouse Arena.