Tonight might turn out to be a cold one in Allendale, but in Louisville, Ky., things are just starting to heat up as Grand Valley State University takes on the University of Tampa in NCAA Division II quarterfinal volleyball action. The Lakers face Tampa for the second time after dropping a match 3-0 to the host school in early September at the Tampa Classic.

“We knew that the teams that were going to be down there (at the Tampa Classic) could be postseason teams,” said GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon. “It’s pretty ironic that four of the teams that were down there are now in the Elite Eight.”

Joining them in the Elite Eight after appearing in the Tampa Classic are Concordia University-St. Paul and the University of Central Missouri. In Tampa, the Lakers defeated Concordia 3-0, a victory that saw Concordia’s NCAA record 75-game winning streak come to a screeching halt. GVSU lost 3-0 to Central Missouri the next day, and if both teams win tonight, the pair will face off Friday in a rematch.

Scanlon said the familiarity of their opponents makes pre-game preparations easier.

“Our second round matchup could be Central Missouri, so a lot of the mystique of what they will do is taken out,” she said. “At this time of the year, there’s not going to be a lot of changing of what we do. We’re going to focus on being really good at what we’ve been doing.”

Leading the charge for the Lakers is middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin, a senior who has been more decorated this season than the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree. After receiving her recent honor as Midwest Region Player of the Year, GVSU’s all-time leader in total blocks and block assists was named a First-Team All-American.

“She’s our go-to person,” Scanlon said. “Every team that’s successful in the postseason has that one person in their lineup that’s solid. She’s embraced that role and has definitely earned every award she’s received. I’m sure there are many more to come. She knows that she has to perform in order to be successful.”

While Rapin might be surprised at the influx of new awards, her teammates are not.

“Rebeccah’s a role model on and off the court,” said senior Leslie Curtis. “She’s always doing what she can to win us games, and she’s the leader of the team. She keeps us positive and hopeful when we’re down. She’s amazing.”

But rather than focus on her individual achievements, Rapin instead pushed the gravity of the situation in which her team has found itself.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet that we’re going back to the Elite Eight,” she said. “It’s an incredible feeling to know that all the hard work we’ve put in throughout the season is paying off.”

The Lakers are not favored to win the title, and although each team in the tournament was assigned an initial ranking, Scanlon said none of that matters at this point in the season.

“Anything can happen at the Elite Eight,” she said. “Most matches will be pretty nervy and ugly volleyball, which is how we’ve won a lot of times this year. We could very easily be the team holding that trophy at the end.”

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