It’s better to be lucky than good, but – as the Grand Valley State volleyball team experienced over the weekend – it’s best to be both.

Six seniors led the way at Fieldhouse Arena on Saturday as No. 17 GVSU swept Wayne State University (25-19, 25-15, 25-5) to secure its second regular season GLIAC championship in as many years.

“For this group, as freshman they came in and struggled,” said GVSU coach Deanne Scanlon. “In my 20 years being here it was the worst record we’ve ever had. These kids stuck together, they believed and they persevered through a lot in the last four years.”

There was plenty of good to go around for GVSU’s seniors – outside hitter Abby Aiken, libero Christina Canepa, setter Clair Ruhenkamp, middle blocker Ally Simmons, setter Kaitlyn Wolters and outside hitter Kourtney Wolters – against the Warriors on Senior Day.

The Laker attack posted a season-best hitting percentage (.326) against Wayne State, and started off hot in all three frames. GVSU raced out to leads of 7-0, 8-0 and 7-1 in the match, respectively.

“We have a good feel, our offense is getting there,” Aiken said. “We finally have a flow, which we’ve been working on and we had a great week of practice. Hopefully we can keep going, keep rolling.”

Aiken, the 2013 GLIAC Volleyball Athlete of the Year, led the way with a double-double, 11 digs and 10 kills, while Kaitlyn Wolters paced the Laker offense with a match-high 28 assists.

GVSU’s defensive performance was just as impressive. The team tallied a season-best 13 blocks and limited the Warriors to a -.028 hitting-percentage clip. Simmons came up with a match-high six block assists, while Canepa led all players with 16 digs.

“This week of practice was the most fun we’ve ever had together in the last four years,” Simmons said. “This week was awesome. The energy was there completely and today that carried over.”

With a little bit of luck, the team’s positive energy was lifted even further on Sunday.

Since No. 22 FSU and No. 17 GVSU shared the regular season crown and split their season series, the top seed in the GLIAC Tournament was decided by a coin flip. The Lakers won the toss, meaning they have a chance to repeat as outright conference champions at home.

GVSU (21-4, 17-1 GLIAC) will host eighth-seeded Ohio Dominican (12-15, 10-8) on Wednesday. If the Lakers advance, the four remaining teams in the tournament will play rounds two and three in Allendale.

It certainly seems GVSU’s path to another GLIAC Tournament title will go through Ferris State (20-5, 17-1), which hosts Hillsdale College (12-15, 10-8) Wednesday inside the Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Mich.

The Bulldogs ended GVSU’s season last year in the NCAA Midwest Region Tournament championship match, and handed the Lakers their only GLIAC loss this season in a five-set classic on Oct. 28.

“Getting revenge against Ferris would be nice,” Aiken said.

The second round of the 2014 GLIAC Tournament will take place on Saturday, with the championship to follow on Sunday.