Aug. 30, 2008

Box Score

#6 Grand Valley State recorded their biggest win of the young season on Saturday night, sweeping #17 Pittsburg State, 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-19). It was the Lakers' final match of the Missouri S&T "Middle of Everywhere" Classic in Rolla, Mo. GVSU put together a 3-1 weekend, while Pittsburg State received its first loss of the year and is also 3-1.

After an opening-season 3-1 victory over Southern Indiana on Friday morning, the Lakers went up against #3 Truman State yesterday afternoon and fell in a 3-0 sweep. Grand Valley State bounced back to pick up a tough five-set win over North Alabama on Saturday morning before recording its first 3-0 sweep of the season over the previously unbeaten Gorillas.

The five-set victory over North Alabama was one minute shy of a two-hour marathon match. On Saturday afternoon, it took the Lakers just one hour to topple Pittsburg State. Last season, GVSU totaled 22 wins in its 23 three-set matches.

PSU jumped ahead early, leading 6-2 before the Lakers tied the score at 9-9. Junior Katey Crichton used solid serving to push GVSU out to a 16-9 lead with seven straight points. The Gorillas would get no closer than five points the rest of the set, as Grand Valley State closed the set with a 25-18 win.

The Lakers hit the ball well all afternoon, starting in the first set. GVSU attacked a .267 pace in the opening set, tallying 11 kills and just three errors, while forcing the Gorillas into an .067 clip, also with 11 kills, but eight errors.

Neither team was able to put together much of a run in the second set. In fact, the biggest lead for either team for most of the set was three points, which Grand Valley State maintained until the end of the set. With a 21-18 lead, the Lakers scored the set's final four points to take a 2-0 lead.

Pittsburg State recorded as many kills as errors in the second set (nine apiece) for a .000 attack percentage. GVSU used 14 kills and five errors for a .243 mark.

Junior Meredith Young pushed the Lakers to a quick 4-0 lead in the third set and GVSU led 13-9 after her second round of serving. The Gorillas would get as close as three points at 19-16, but Grand Valley State used a 6-3 run to close the set and match in its favor.

GVSU connected for 16 kills and just five errors for a .306 percentage, while Pittsburg State hit .225, with 13 kills and four miscues.

The series between the two teams is now tied at 1-1.

For the match, the Lakers recorded 41 kills and only 13 errors for a solid .273 attack percentage, while holding PSU to an .093 clip. Defensively, Grand Valley State played well, notching 59 digs and 12 block assists.

Senior Danielle Alexander tallied match-highs with 13 kills and six block assists. She hit .500 for the match, committing just one attack error. Fellow senior Lauren Reber recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs, while Crichton added 14 digs for the Lakers.

Setter Jamie Ashmore passed for 31 assists and Young had 10 digs.

Grand Valley State will be back in tournament action next weekend (Sept. 5-6) at the Regis Premier Challenge in Denver, Colo. The Lakers will square off with Augustana and Metro State on Friday, while their opponents on Saturday have yet to be determined. GVSU went 2-2 at the same tournament last season.