GVSU Volleyball drops Parkside match, wins on senior night

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GVL / Alexis Velazquez

Rosemary Booher, Staff Reporter

This weekend, the Grand Valley State Lakers took on the Parkside Rangers and the Purdue Northwest Pride in their last home matches of the regular season. After the matches, the Lakers have an overall record of 13-12 and a GLIAC record of 8-6, allowing them to hold their rank of 5th in the conference. 

The match-up between the Lakers and the Rangers went into three sets and ended with a loss for GVSU. 

The first set began with Parkside securing a quick lead 12-5, later growing to a 21-12 deficits for GVSU. The Lakers would cut down the lead as much as possible, but in the end the Rangers took the set 25-16. 

The second set was a closer one than the first. Both teams would trade points and leads with each other, Parkside first at 18-15 and GVSU then leading 22-20. It was the Rangers that would have the final lead and finish the set 25-23. 

The Lakers took the lead early in the third set, 6-1, but the Rangers were able to answer with a hot streak allowing them to take the lead 16-11. GVSU tried to battle back but in the end it was the Parkside Rangers that took the set 25-21 and finished the match. 

“I think the word that would describe this match would be disappointing,” said GVSU coach Deanne Scanlon. “It’s hard when the girls have been playing such good volleyball recently for them to lose a match like this.”

Saturday’s match-up against the Purdue Northwest Pride was senior night for the Lakers, where seniors Kendall Yerkes and Frankie Cavallaro were honored for their commitment to the GVSU volleyball program. 

“It meant so much to me to play in the senior night game with teammates who mean so much to me,” Yerkes said. “I’ve had so much fun being around them and playing with them and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to finish my career with. It’s crazy to think that I’m nearing the end, but I know that even after I’m gone I’ll still have some strong friendships.”

The Lakers had a successful senior night match, one that went into three sets, leaving GVSU with a win at home. 

GVSU had an explosive first set against Purdue Northwest. The Lakers led the Pride 6-0 and stretched the lead to 14-8 before they would hold the Pride to only nine points that entire set, finishing it 25-9. 

The second set was closer than the first, but the Lakers still started with a lead of 12-7 and pushed it to 17-9. The Pride bounced back to start to close the gap 19-16, but the Lakers pulled ahead once more to finish the set 25-21. 

GVSU would once more start the match with a small lead, 18-15, against the Pride, who despite their best efforts would only score two more points in the third and last set. The Lakers finished off their senior night matchup with the third set being 25-17. 

“Our serving was very aggressive in this match, offensively we were aggressive too,” Scanlon said. “We didn’t allow their offense to set up either, all around I think we played some good volleyball today.”

GVSU will take on their last regular season matchups on the road this week Friday, Nov. 15 against the Ashland Eagles and against the Wayne State Warriors Saturday, Nov. 16.