Grand Valley State University’s volleyball team (13-7) traveled to the Upper Peninsula this weekend for a pair of away games.
The Lakers fell in the first game, 2-3, in five sets against Northern Michigan University (9-12) in Marquette. They followed this by taking on Michigan Tech University (8-12) in Houghton, also losing 2-3 in five sets.
In the first set against Northern Michigan, the Lakers were able to keep a steady lead, going up 10-7, but the Wildcats went on a four-point run, tying it up at 11. Both teams exchanged leads from there until an attack error by senior outside hitter Kendall Stover gave two points to the Wildcats and a 25-23 win in the set.
In set two, lead changes remained at a premium until Northern Michigan went on a 4-0 run halfway through, going up 15-11. The Wildcats maintained a lead throughout until a 6-0 run by the Lakers, which made the score 21-20 in favor of the Wildcats. A service error by senior setter Meghan O’Sullivan put the Wildcats up 25-24, before a kill gave Northern the set win, 26-24.
Both teams exchanged leads throughout the third set until the Lakers went on a 12-2 run, going up 22-13. The Wildcats tried to claw their way back, but a late kill by O’Sullivan sealed the 25-17 set win for GVSU.
In the fourth set, the Lakers started a 6-0 run before a service error by sophomore setter Caroline Baker gave the Wildcats a point. The Lakers maintained a lead throughout before Northern Michigan went on a 5-0 run that cut the GVSU lead to 24-22. A late kill by O’Sullivan gave the Lakers a 25-23 set win.
The fifth and final set alternated lead changes once again, until the Lakers went on a 4-0 run to tie the set at eight. Unfortunately, GVSU was unable to hold onto that momentum, as a late kill by the Wildcats and two attack errors from O’Sullivan helped supply a 3-0 run and a 15-12 set win for Northern Michigan.
“We played a long game tonight,” said O’Sullivan. “We had a hard time staying consistent with our performance and stepping out with our usual swagger.”
In total, O’Sullivan led the team with 17 kills. Sophomore libero Olivia Behen led with four aces and 29 digs. Redshirt junior middle blocker Brianna Stawski led with seven blocks, while Baker led with 34 assists.
“I think it’s a collective effort,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “It’s not one or two people, I mean, we’ve got be better and in different areas of the game. We’re sitting in a really tough spot right now and can’t find our way out of the slump we’re in.”
Against Michigan Tech, in the first set, GVSU went on a 5-0 run before an attack error by sophomore outside hitter Grace Busold put the Huskies on the board. GVSU held the small lead, eventually taking the set 25-18.
It was mostly another back-and-forth set two until Michigan Tech went on a 5-0 run, extending the lead to 9-5. Like the Lakers in the first set, the Huskies took the lead and held onto the second set, 25-17.
In the third set, tied at two, the Huskies went on a 5-0 run, leading 7-2. Michigan Tech once again held onto the lead and took the set 25-20.
In the fourth set, GVSU maintained a lead of their own, going on a 4-0 run, making it 21-12 and holding onto a 25-15 set win.
Heading into another fifth-set game, junior outside hitter Kate Goudreau had three straight attack errors to begin the set, putting the Huskies up 4-0. The Lakers got a kill out of O’Sullivan to cut the Huskies’ lead, but a couple of kills by Michigan Tech and an attack error by junior middle hitter Kennedy Arp stole the set win and game for the Huskies.
In total, Stover led with 11 kills and Baker with 26 assists. O’Sullivan and Busold led with four aces, while Arp led with three blocks. Behen led with 23 digs.
GVSU falls to 13-7, and will head home to the Fieldhouse Friday, in a Halloween matchup against crosstown rival Davenport University at 6 p.m. GVSU will then remain home to face rival Ferris State University Saturday.
