In a game where 14 Lakers saw action, the No. 18 Grand Valley State University women’s volleyball team won for the second time in as many nights by defeating Ohio Dominican University 3-0 at the Fieldhouse Arena Saturday.

After taking out Tiffin University 3-0 on Friday night, GVSU (19-5, 15-2 GLIAC) pushed through a tight second set to sweep the Panthers and extend its win streak to 13 matches.

“We’re at the point in the season where rest is a necessity,” said GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon. “It’s nice to know that we have some depth, and I can bring people in off the bench.”

The benefits of rest came in the form of senior middle hitter Rebecca Rapin playing only the first set. Scanlon started three freshmen: outside hitter Stacy Catalano (14 kills), libero Sacha Gill (25 digs) and middle hitter Abby Ebels (seven kills). Gill and Catalano, both of whom are normally starters, were key to the first set victory.

“I think being able to play in different styles of games, some more difficult than others, will help us going forward,” Gill said. “We’ve had to be out there with the game on the line, so those pressures and responsibilities are big.”

Gill’s leadership on defense and improved serving are a big part of the team’s recent success. The freshman said keeping balls off the floor gives the team’s hitters as many opportunities as possible.

Senior Leslie Curtis and Catalano, the team’s outside hitters, benefited from that defense Friday and Saturday. They built on their 16-kill night Friday with 25 more kills against Ohio Dominican.

Offensive consistency has been a key to the team’s recent winning streak, but the consistency was tested in the second set against Ohio Dominican. The visiting Panthers pushed the Lakers’ to a 28-26 decision in a set in which the Lakers played without Rapin, their top player.

“We had to pull together with new people out there (Saturday),” said Curtis, who recorded 18 digs in the match. “These experiences will help us going forward. Learning to deal with adversity as a team will determine how far we will go.”

Despite the struggles in the second set, staving off the Ohio Dominican run will prove important for the entire team, Scanlon said.

“You don’t want to get locked into one single lineup,” she said. “We’re going to need depth for the end of season push.”

The difference in lineups was only a bump in the road as the Lakers came back strong in the third set, 25-19. The experience of playing together and rest for some of the starters will be vital in the team’s push toward the GLIAC tournament on Nov. 11.

In the meantime, the Lakers will prepare for a match-up with conference rival Northwood University at home Friday. In their last match on Sept. 17, Northwood took the Lakers to five games and proved to be one of the toughest challenges during its winning streak before the Lakers eventually put them down 3-2.

“Northwood is looking very good and was very competitive at their recent crossover match,” Scanlon said. “We barely beat them last time, so we’re going to have to be at the top of our game.”

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