The Grand Valley State volleyball team sent the six-member senior class out in style on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 8), as the #17 Lakers rolled past Wayne State by a 3-0 score (25-19, 25-15, 25-5) inside the Fieldhouse Arena. That victory clinches at least a share of the GLIAC Championship for GVSU and a home match in the quarterfinals of next week's GLIAC Tournament.

After a strong 3-0 victory over Saginaw Valley State on Friday night, the Lakers carried that momentum into Saturday afternoon's match. Couple that with the team's annual pre-match Senior Day celebration and the opportunity to claim a share of the league title (and a repeat of last year's GLIAC championship), it was easy to see the motivation behind Grand Valley State's effort and execution on Saturday.

With the victory, the Lakers improve to 21-4 on the season and finish the GLIAC schedule with a 17-1 record. GVSU awaits the result of the Ferris State - Saginaw Valley State match later Saturday afternoon to determine if the Lakers are outright champions or share the conference championship. Wayne State falls to 9-16 overall and 6-12 in league action.

It was one of GVSU's best all-around showings of the season, hitting a season-best .326 with 37 kills and only eight errors. The team's 13 blocks tied a season-high, as the Lakers also blocked 13 attacks against Lake Superior State last Saturday afternoon. Eight of the team's 13 blocks came in the third set, with six of those rejections coming from senior Ally Simmons and four from classmate Kaitlyn Wolters.

In addition to the blocks, Grand Valley State recorded 50 digs and held Wayne State to a -.028 hitting percentage (21 kills, 24 errors). Senior libero Christina Canepa picked up 16 digs, while Simmons (six blocks), Wolters (four), Kaleigh Lound (four total, two solo), and Betsy Ronda (two solo) were very solid blocking at the net.

GVSU got off to terrific starts in all three sets on Saturday. The Lakers opened up a 7-0 lead in the first frame thanks to the accurate serving of Simmons, who notched two aces and a kill during the opening run. Trailing 14-6, Wayne State ran off eight of the next 11 points to get back within a 17-14 score. The Warriors kept the contest close, but Aiken recorded a kill, then teamed with Lound for a block, and Simmons delivered another ace to end the stanza, 25-19.

In set two, an 8-0 run began the frame and it was all behind Aiken's serving. Ronda tallied a kill and solo block during the opening surge, as the lead swelled to 14-2 after another Ronda solo rejection. Lound and senior Kourtney Wolters blocked a Wayne State attack to make the score 18-5 and the Lakers would cruise through the rest of the set, hitting .464 with 15 kills.

WSU scored the first point of the final set before Grand Valley State took complete control. The Lakers led 7-1 after a kill and solo block from Lound before Wayne State pulled within 7-4. After a Kaitlyn Wolters kill made it 8-4, Canepa served the next 12 points for GVSU to push open an insurmountable 20-4 advantage. Simmons was a part of five blocks during the 13-0 run, teaming with Kaitlyn Wolters four times and with Ronda on the other. The match ended after Kaitlyn Wolters set fellow senior setter Clair Ruhenkamp, who attacked from the right side and delivered a kill to finish off the contest.

Aiken's double-double of 11 digs and match-best 10 kills led the way for GVSU. Simmons notched six blocks, six digs, five kills in eight swings, and three service aces. Ronda totaled six kills and three blocks, while Kaitlyn Wolters supplied 28 assists, five digs, four kills, and four blocks. Kourtney Wolters added seven digs, four kills, and three rejections.

It was the final regular season home match for Aiken, Canepa, Ruhenkamp, Simmons, and the Wolters' sisters, the team's six seniors who own a 91-29 career record. The senior class is also 58-15 in GLIAC play with a pair of conference championships.

The Lakers await their opponent in next Wednesday's GLIAC quarterfinal match, which will be hosted in Allendale. Time and opponent will be released when they become available.