After sweeping five straight GLIAC opponents, junior outside hitter Betsy Ronda and the red hot Grand Valley State University volleyball team found themselves in somewhat unfamiliar territory: a competitive match.

The 10-game win streak was on the line for GVSU at the University of Findlay on Saturday, as the up-and-coming Oilers and first-place Lakers were deadlocked at 11 apiece late in the decisive fifth set.

GVSU coach Deanne Scanlon decided to call a timeout.

“We had been up and down at that point, but felt like we had something to prove,” Ronda said. “Someone needed to step up and take charge, that’s what she was emphasizing going into that fifth set. There were some calls that weren’t going our way, but she wanted us to focus on doing our jobs.”

The Lakers, who had won 24 straight GLIAC matches dating back to last season, showed why they are the No. 12 team in the country.

After the timeout, Ronda tallied a kill from senior setter Kaitlyn Wolters to make it 12-11. Then, after Findlay’s Hannah Tong returned the favor to tie things up, Ronda notched another.

Tong committed an attack error on the following play to give the Lakers a 14-12 edge, which proved to be a big stop for GVSU. Wolters again found Ronda, who ended it with her 16th kill.

“We just had to stay aggressive,” Scanlon said. “We play a lot of two-point, three-point games before a practice – first side to two or first side to three – to emphasize how important those small little points are.”

The last five matches had not been much of a challenge for the Lakers. Prior to their loss in the second set at Findlay, they had racked up 19 consecutive set victories.

GVSU had played in just one other five-set match so far this season – a 3-2 loss against No. 20 Wayne State University (Neb.) at the Oredigger Classic on Sept. 5 in Golden, Colo. – but its come a long way since then.

“We struggled a little bit in Colorado but now we have these set people – we’ve got our groove and got our chemistry back,” said Wolters, who finished with a game-high 48 assists to go with four kills and four digs.

Senior outside hitter Abby Aiken also turned in a strong performance with a double-double (12 kills and 12 digs), while junior middle blocker Kaleigh Lound made a difference inside with 11 kills.

“We just wanted to prove to ourselves that we can go five sets with tough teams, push through and come out on top,” Wolters said.

GVSU, the only undefeated team left in conference play, secured the No. 1 seed in the GLIAC-GLVC Crossover Tournament with the win.

The team will clash with three opponents in the event this weekend in Aurora, Ill. GVSU will play Lewis University on Friday before taking on two teams, Missouri University of Science and Technology and Rockhurst University, to close out the tournament on Saturday.

“We’re super excited for the Crossover,” Scanlon said. “That’s an event that we look forward to every year. Everyone is going to come after us. I don’t think we’re overconfident but we feel like we’re in a good place as a team. Things are coming together.”