After beginning the year with a No. 8 ranking in the country, a 13-11 record with two games left in the regular season is not what the Grand Valley State University volleyball team had planned for the season.

However, with the postseason just one week away, the tide has seemed to turn with the young Lakers boasting a 4-1 record in their last five matches.

“We certainly thought that we probably would put together a better season,” said GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon. “We are not happy with where we are at, but we are also still in a position to get into postseason play. The group kind of feels things are coming together for us right now.”

GVSU has already qualified for the GLIAC tournament, but how the team finishes there will determine if the Lakers continue on to the Regional tournament or not. Much of that hope rests on the play of the teams 12 underclassmen, who have been given more responsibilities in the face of adversity and injuries this season.

“We have been putting together different lineups, and really everybody has been able to step it up,” and sophomore middle blocker Abby Ebels. “At points it gets frustrating because you don’t know who is going to be on the floor, but we have adapted the mentality that we are going to get the job done no matter who is on the floor together at any certain point in time.”

Players like Ebels and freshman outside hitter Abby Aiken have seen their roles expand as the season has progressed. The younger players have gained experience throughout the year, but the postseason will be something new for many young Laker faces.

“These freshmen are experiencing college athletics here at Grand Valley for the first time,” Scanlon said. “Having to accept playing under pressure at a young age, that is a hard thing to do. To be rushed in that role of being the go-to player, they have learned how to handle that and have accepted that role. That has made a huge change in our offense and some of the success we have had.”

Senior leadership will also be an important factor in deciding if the Lakers can improve on their elite eight run from last year.

“Because we have a lot of freshman and younger people playing, our experience of being in successful postseasons in previous years is what we as seniors bring and lead them in that way,” said senior middle blocker Nicole Whiddon. “Every team goes through hard things at certain points and this is just what we have to deal with. We just have to keep working our hardest and having confidence that we can beat top teams.”

Not only do the seniors understand it is their last chance at a postseason run, but all members of the team realize just how valuable their contributions are.

“Our seniors are going to play a big role in the next couple weeks especially because they have been on those teams that have made it to the final four,” Ebels said. “They know what it is like to win and they know what it is like to have to work hard to get there. No one wants to stop now.”

However, no matter the ups and downs the team has faced this season, they know that in the end something good must come of it.

“You still have to put those expectations out there and keep that bar high and I think our kids have responded to that,” Scanlon said. “Every time we have suffered through a tough loss or something else happens to us, I said this is going to pay off. It may not pay off this year, but some place down the line this is all going to pay off for us as a team if they just keep trusting and working hard.”

[email protected]