ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Grand Valley State volleyball team came back to beat Davenport 3-2 (25-15, 19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 15-7) in a five-set match on Tuesday in GLIAC play at the GVSU Fieldhouse. This was the Lakers sixth five-set match so far this season in just 11 games. GVSU improves to 5-6 overall and 1-2 in GLIAC play after tonight's win.
 
Statistically, GVSU dominated the match. The Lakers held the advantage in kills (65-47), aces (11-8), blocks (11-6), assists (61-42), and attack percentage (.195-.160). The Lakers cruised in the first set with a .308 attack percentage before dropping sets two and three. After a back and forth set four, which GVSU won to keep the match alive, it was all Lakers in set five. GVSU had a 11-1 kill/error ratio and led the entire fifth set.
 
Individually, sophomore Ali Thompson led the Lakers with 19 kills, while redshirt freshman Emma Clines and freshman Jaeli Primus recorded 13 and 12 kills respectively. Primus also had a team-high seven blocks. Freshman setter Rachel Jacquay had 55 assists and senior Kendall Yerkes chipped in with 27 digs.
 
The Lakers came out of the gates hot in set one. GVSU jumped out to a 12-3 lead and would increase their lead by as many as 13 points at 18-5. Thompson recorded five of her 19 kills in set one including the final point of the set.
 
Davenport would go up 4-0 and 10-3 in set two, but the Lakers hung around. GVSU would trim the deficit to just two points at 15-13 on a kill from Clines before a 4-0 run for Davenport brought their lead back to six points. The Lakers capitalized on three straight attack errors by the Panthers to bring the set to 20-17, however Davenport would finish the set off shortly after.
 
Set three featured 14 ties and eight lead changes with both teams hitting at a low percentage. GVSU hit just 0.12 in the set, while Davenport hit 0.17. Both teams matched each other's points early on before GVSU would take a slight advantage at 10-7 and 12-8. Davenport responded with five straight points to take the lead at 13-12. GVSU would take the lead back at 19-18 and would hold that lead at 23-22, but the Panthers scored the final three points of the set.
 
The Lakers took an early lead in set four, going up 8-4. After increasing the lead to 12-6, Davenport would chip away. The Panthers tied the set at 16-16 and on the next point would take a 17-16 lead. GVSU went on a 4-1 run to take control of the set and finished the set off on a kill by Primus.
 
In set five, GVSU and DU would trade points early but after a 3-3 tie, the Lakers went on a 7-1 run which featured multiple kills by Primus and freshman Karlie Kucharczyk. The Panthers scored back to back points to cut the Lakers lead to 10-6, however GVSU would answer with four straight points and a kill by Thompson to end the match.
 
The Lakers will host Wayne State on Friday at 7:00 P.M. and Ashland at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday to close out a five-game home stand.