The Grand Valley State University volleyball team (17-7) traveled north for a pair of away games Friday and Saturday. GVSU won each match in three sets, defeating Saginaw Valley State University (8-18) 25-16, 25-20, 25-14, followed by another sweep over Lake Superior State University (1-20), 25-13, 25-20, 25-19.

In the first set against Saginaw Valley, the Lakers held a lead for the entirety of the set with two 4-0 runs. Multiple attack errors forced by the GVSU defense allowed the Lakers to take the first set, 25-16. 

The score went back and forth early in the second set with SVSU holding a 6-5 lead. Redshirt junior middle blocker Brianna Stawski totaled three blocks, which gave GVSU the chance to separate itself with a 5-0 run. The Cardinals responded with a 4-0 run of their own, but multiple kills from Stawski ensured the win of set two, 25-20. 

Set three was all about runs as each team scored at least five straight points in a row. GVSU started with a short 4-0 run, putting them up 5-2. The Cardinals answered back with five straight points and took the lead, 7-5. Senior setter Meghan O’Sullivan took over as she notched four straight kills. GVSU continued to attack while the Cardinals felt the pressure, which allowed the Lakers to finish the game on a 10-2 run, ultimately winning the final set, 25-14. 

By the end of the match, GVSU tallied 51 total points, 40 kills, 10 blocks and 39 assists. Junior outside hitter Kate Goudreau led the team with 11 kills, Stawski added a team-high six blocks and freshman setter Gabby Orlet showed her selflessness with a team-high 36 assists. 

“Our serve and pass portion of the game has been a strength during the last four wins,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “We have been able to make it a little easier on our defense because it makes the other team’s offense more predictable.”

Set one against Lake Superior State began very competitively, as GVSU soared to an early 6-2 lead. Lake Superior State answered back multiple times in this set as the Lakers found themselves up 10-9. From this point, GVSU dominated with a 14-4 run thanks to multiple kills from O’Sullivan, taking the set 25-13. 

Lake Superior State took a quick lead in the second set, but GVSU kept the score extremely close, only trailing 9-6. Four assists from Orlet helped give the Lakers five straight points and the lead, 11-9. A short 4-0 run boosted GVSU’s lead 16-12; however, Lake Superior State responded with its own 3-0 run. In a back-and-forth set, GVSU kept its composure while winning 25-20. 

In the third and final set, the Lakers started fast and jumped to a 10-3 lead with senior libero McKenzie Johnson dishing out four assists. GVSU kept its distance for a bit, with a 15-9 lead, but a 6-1 run from Lake Superior State gave the home team life. An impressive 5-0 Laker run ended the game with Orlet having the final four assists. GVSU took the final set, 25-19. 

Johnson was impressed with his team’s overall performance on both sides of the ball.

“I thought this weekend we did a great job of being able to run our offense with high efficiency, and the defensive discipline helped slow down both SVSU and LSSU,” Johnson said. 

Johnson noted that a lineup change has enabled growth and improvements among the team. 

“We made a lineup change before our match against Davenport, and I think we have seen a lot of growth in the comfort level with this lineup playing together,” Johnson stated. 

GVSU adds to its now four-game winning streak and has improved to 17-7 on the season. The Lakers will return to action Thursday in Detroit, as they will travel to Wayne State University (19-5) for a pivotal conference game.