CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Grand Valley State volleyball team dropped their season opener against Lander University at the Queens Fall Classic in five sets by scores of 25-20, 18-25, 22-25, and 13-15. The Lakers nearly erased a 14-6 deficit in the fifth set with seven straight points but the comeback fell just short.
GVSU held the advantage in kills (55-54), attack errors (27-37), and blocks (9-4), but 15 service errors compared to just two from the Bears was a difference maker.
Sophomore
Ali Thompson had a team-high 13 kills, while freshman
Jaeli Primus and redshirt freshman
Emma Clines contributed 12 and 11 kills respectively. Primus also added six total blocks in her collegiate debut. Sophomore
Abby Graham led the team with 27 digs and senior
Frankie Cavallaro finished with 39 assists and 11 digs.
The first set was back and forth with no team leading by more than two points until GVSU went up 16-13 on a kill from freshman
Karlie Kucharczyk. After Lander scored three straight points to tie the score, the Lakers rattled off four consecutive points to take a 20-16 lead. GVSU scored the final three points of the set to earn a 25-20 win.
The Lakers fell behind early in set two with Lander jumping out to a 13-4 lead. Trailing 17-11, GVSU rallied for five straight points to cut the deficit to 17-16 but the Bears answered with three straight points to take control of the set.
Lander took the momentum into set three going up 3-0. The two teams played evenly throughout the rest of the set with five ties, yet the Lakers never overtook the lead past 6-5. GVSU trailed 22-20 before the Bears scored the final three points of the set.
GVSU regained their composure in set four by leading 8-3 early in the set. Lander came back and took leads of 11-10,16-15, and 18-17, but the Lakers used kills by Primus and Kucharczyk, followed by a service ace from Primus to win the set 25-22.
The fifth and deciding set was all Lander at the beginning of the set before a late GVSU charge kept the match close. The Bears were up 14-6 and on match point before the Lakers rattled off seven straight points to make the score 14-13. Lander ended the match with a kill the following point.
GVSU will play again tonight at 7:30 P.M. against Lenoir-Rhyne University
