The Grand Valley State volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to the Davenport Panthers on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 17). With the loss, the Lakers fall to 12-13 overall and 5-9 in conference action while the Panthers improve to 13-13 and 7-7 against GLIAC opponents. The Lakers will travel to Wisconsin-Parkside and Purdue Northwest next weekend (Nov. 2-3) to close out the 2018 regular season. 
 
Prior to first serve, the five members of the 2018 senior class were honored for their time in a Laker uniform by head coach Deanne Scanlon, associate head coach Jason Johnson, assistant coach Abby Aiken, and GVSU Athletic Director Keri Becker. That group consisted of defensive specialist Kaylene Norris, outside hitter Madilyn Keller, middle blockers Jillian Butsavich and Staci Brower, and right-side hitter Hannah Murdock. 
 
The Lakers struggled to get any offensive rhythm in the contest as the ended with a .081 attack percentage and 19 errors compared to their 29 kills. GVSU did lead in team blocks, 6-5, but the Panthers led in all other statistical categories. 
 
Freshman Ali Thompson tallied seven kills in the match while fellow freshman Abby Graham added six with Murdock and Brower chipping in five each as well. Setter Frankie Cavallaro led the Lakers with 22 assists. 
 
Defensively, Graham picked up two solo and two assisted rejections, while Brower added a solo and a couple assisted as well. Thompson and Butsavich also picked up assisted blocks. 
 
The Lakers struggles started early as they would give up the first six points of the match before burning a timeout. From there, DU used a 5-1 run to jump out to a ten-point lead, 11-1. GVSU managed to cut the lead to six at one point, 15-7, but the early deficit would be too much for the Lakers to overcome as they would fall 25-13 in set one. 
 
Set two didn't start in the Lakers favor either, as DU built up an early lead once again, this time 6-2. The Panthers would maintain their four-point lead to a 10-6 score before four straight would push the margin to eight, 14-6. GVSU manage to cut it down to five, 22-17, but once again would run out of steam down the stretch after having to make up for the early deficit and fall 25-18 in set two. 
 
Set three started differently however, as the Lakers would be the ones with the early 3-1 lead thanks to kills from Murdock and Brower as well as a Panther attack error. A four-point swing from DU would quickly take the lead away from GVSU as the Panthers went up 5-3. The Lakers kept the set within reach over the next few points however, trailing 10-7 and 13-9 before another four-point run would push the margin to eight, 17-9. After bringing it within five, 21-15, the Panthers scored four of the next five points to take the set 25-17 and the match 3-0. 
 
Again, the Lakers will be back in action next weekend against Parkside and Purdue Northwest on the road.