In taking a look back at another successful year in Laker athletics, the Grand Valley State sports information department has put together its list of the top-10 highlights from the 2013-14 campaign. Over the next few weeks, the yearlong highlights will be released on gvsulakers.com, with the top moment of 2013-14 being revealed on Monday, July 14^th.
 
Top-10 GVSU Highlights from 2013-14
7: GVSU Volleyball Wins GLIAC Championship in Five-Set Classic Over Ashland
 
The Grand Valley State volleyball team found itself trailing 2-1 in the GLIAC championship match in Allendale on Nov. 24, needing to win the remaining two sets to capture its first league tournament title since 2008. With its back against the wall, #13 GVSU extended the match to the pivotal fifth set and pulled out a wild 19-17 victory to become GLIAC champions.
 
Having lost only one match over the previous two and a half months, the Lakers were on quite a roll, taking an 18-match win streak into the tournament championship. In fact, Grand Valley State had lost just six total sets in its previous 18 contests, not once being extended to the stressful fifth set. GVSU took the opening set (25-22) before Ashland rallied back to claim sets two (25-19) and three (25-23), seizing the momentum in front of the Laker faithful.
 
Grand Valley State never trailed in the fourth frame, tying the match at 2-2 with a 25-18 win and taking the contest to set five. The Lakers had some experience in these tense moments, going 3-1 in five-set contests up to that point. Like most fifth sets, the battle for the GLIAC Tournament championship and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth would be nerve-wracking.
 
Early on, that was not the case though, as GVSU raced out to a 7-3 advantage. An opportune Ashland timeout paid off, as the Eagles came storming back to score six consecutive points and take a startling 9-7 lead. It was the Lakers' time to rally and they did just that, knotting the stanza at 10-10. The set was tied again at points 11, 12, 13, and 14.
 
Ashland put down a kill and led 15-14, with the Eagles now serving for match point. Grand Valley State answered with a kill from senior Megan Schroeder and a solo block from junior Ally Simmons to regain a 16-15 advantage. It was now the Lakers' turn to serve for match point, but AU responded with a kill to tie the score at 16-16. Simmons placed a kill before a GVSU error kept the frame tied, 17-17.
 
Finally, Grand Valley State was able to put the Eagles away. First Team All-GLIAC setter Kaitlyn Wolters dished a pair of sets to sophomore Betsy Ronda for a kill and to junior Abby Aiken for a match-ending kill that ended the 1-hour, 58-minute thriller with a 19-17 victory.
 
Aiken, the 2013 GLIAC Player of the Year, was voted GLIAC Tournament MVP after totaling 16 kills and 15 digs. Ronda (17 digs, 15 kills) and Wolters (46 assists, 22 digs, eight blocks) were also named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team. Sophomore Kaleigh Lound added 10 total blocks for a GVSU team that recorded a season-best 18 rejections.
 
The top two seeds in the tournament were tied 19 times throughout the match, including 11 tie scores in the fifth set alone, with the Lakers prevailing for their greatest win of the 2013 season.
 
1 - Monday, July 14
2 - Friday, July 11
3 - Thursday, July 10
4 - Wednesday, July 9
5 - Tuesday, July 8
6 - Monday, July 7
7 - GVSU Volleyball Wins GLIAC Championship in Five-Set Classic Over Ashland
8 - Lakers Knock SVSU Out of Football Playoffs With 40-7 Rout
9 - Darrell Becomes GVSU Career Singles Record Holder
10 - Crandall's Huge Second Half Carries Lakers Past Northwood