This weekend, the Grand Valley State volleyball team went on the road for the first time during their official season for conference match-ups against the Purdue Northwest Pride and the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers. The Lakers took total control of both matches and were able to secure wins against both teams.

Friday, Oct. 5, the Lakers traveled all the way to Hammond, Indiana, where they played against the Purdue Northwest Pride in a quick, three-set match.

GVSU was able to hold PNW to 16 points in the first set, 14 in the second and 15 in the third to secure another conference win. Coach Deanne Scanlon attributes this win to the team’s high confidence and aggression on the court.

“I think we looked really comfortable, I don’t think the kids got too uptight and they just right from the start were aggressive,” Scanlon said. “We swung hard for hits, had some really aggressive serving, and did a really good job of keeping our confidence high. We also cut down on our errors and focused on staying aggressive through each set not letting up.”

The Lakers didn’t let up against their next opponent Saturday, Oct. 6, when they played against the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers. This match was another that only went into three sets, as each set had both teams finishing with a five point or less difference.

In the first set, the Lakers were able to win by only a three-point margin, 25-22. In the second and third sets, the Lakers were able to beat the Rangers by five points with a score of 25-20 in both. 

“We just got in some really good rotations against Parkside, specifically with Ali Thompson,” Scanlon said. “She seemed to really lead our team well this match, she just had an outstanding weekend. I think the girls have played in a lot of tough matches and I think you either keep losing or you learn from them and win, which is what we did.”

GVSU was able to sweep the competition this week because of their lack of errors and their aggressive attitudes, said Scanlon.

“All week long we focused on not making errors and knowing when to be aggressive, but also knowing when a set may not be there and other plays where we have to be strategic to keep the ball in play, and knowing that we can rely on our defense if need be,” Scanlon said.

The Lakers hope to be able to keep their momentum from these wins and move forward with more wins in their future. Specifically focusing on their GLIAC competition for next weekend, the Ferris State Bulldogs come to town Friday, Oct. 11 and the Northwood Timberwolves come to Allendale the following day.

“The conference is tough and everyone is coming in to battle,” Scanlon said. “Winning the battle this weekend showed us how hard we have been working and now they understand that they need to have another hard week of practice to prepare for Ferris, who is GLIAC No. 1, and Northwood, who is also having a very good season so far. It really comes down to coming into practice and working as hard as possible.”