ERIE, PA – The GVSU women's volleyball team gets their season going this weekend at the Gannon/Mercyhurst Invite in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Lakers will play four games over the two days of the tournament. On Friday (Aug. 26) they are on the campus of Mercyhurst to take on Notre Dame College at 3 pm and host Mercyhurst at 7 pm. On Saturday (Aug. 27), they take on Malone at 2 pm, and Gannon at 5 pm, both of those games will be played at Gannon.
 
Jason Johnson begins his second year as the head coach of GVSU, hoping to build off last season's 17 wins and a trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Lakers return three All-GLIAC performers and add nine talented newcomers to the squad that was voted number one in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll.
 
Notre Dame College is beginning a new era as Anthony Mezacapa is starting his first season as the head coach of the Falcons after being promoted from co-head coach. The Falcons are coming off a season in which they went 16-16 and fell in the first round of the Mountain East Conference Tournament. The Falcons look to build off last season as they return seven players who played in over 100 sets last season. The Falcons were selected to finish eighth overall in the MEC preseason coaches' poll. NDC returns their three top point scorers from a season ago in Kelsie Palmer, Kaye Dregalla, and Grace Smotek. Palmer was honorable mention All-MEC last season after recording 315 points on 284 kills.
 
Mercyhurst University is under the director of head coach Ryan Patton who is entering his 19th season at the helm of the Lakers. Mercyhurst finished last season 11-16 overall and 7-9 in conference and was selected to finish seventh in the PSAC western division preseason coaches' poll. The Lakers return their top setter from last year in Alexa Mitchell, who tallied 471 assists last year, as well as Maggie Thomas whose 105.5 points last season are tops among all returners.
 
The first matchup on Saturday features a Malone program that finished 10-18 last season and 5-11 in GMAC play. Head coach Rafael Gonzalez enters his second season at the helm of the Pioneers and looks to improve off last season, as they return their top eight players from a season ago, including GMAC Third-Team all-conference member Anna Mallette. The outside hitter recorded a team-highs in 313.5 points and 279 kills, while also notching 42 blocks. The Pioneers will feature a diverse attack this year, as in addition to Mallette, they return five other players who tallied over 125 points last year as well as their top two setters from a season ago.
 
Grand Valley will close out the invite with what should be the toughest test of the weekend, when they face off against Gannon on Saturday night. The Lady Knights come off an impressive season, where they went 32-7 and 13-3 to win the PSAC regular season western division title and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Once in the tournament, the Lady Knights went on a run all the way to the National Semifinals, where they lost to eventual national champion Tampa. Matt Darling returns for his 16th season leading Gannon, where his Lady Knights are ranked #18 nationally by the AVCA and second in the PSAC western division preseason coaches' poll. Gannon may have lost four key contributors from last season, but there is still plenty of talent remaining. Tops among them is second-team All-PSAC member Maggie Greenfield, the team-leader in blocks last season with 110, while also recording 222 kills. Also returning are Sam Dienek, who tallied 253 kills, and Emma Hall, the team leader in digs at 570.
 
 
How To Follow
Live stats and live video will be available for both games this weekend. For full coverage of both games, including live in-game updates, follow @GVSUVOLLEY on Twitter and visit gvsulakers.com. 
 
Friday's Links:       live stats      video stream
 
Saturday's Links:   live stats       video stream