For the third straight match, #7 Grand Valley State swept its opponent at the GVSU Laker Riverfront Classic on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 5), culminating with a 3-0 victory over Lock Haven. The Lakers won by scores of 25-13, 25-16, and 25-22 over the Bald Eagles, giving GVSU wins in nine straight sets.

In the team's opening match of 2015, Grand Valley State dropped a 3-1 decision to Concordia-Portland, but the Cavaliers ended the weekend as the only undefeated team (4-0) at the Riverfront Classic. After working out the kinks, the Lakers got back on track and swept Carson-Newman on Friday night before doing the same to Bemidji State and Lock Haven on Saturday.

The victory over Lock Haven gives GVSU a 3-1 record, as the team heads to the Augustana Showcase next weekend (Sept. 11-12). In Sioux Falls, SD, Grand Valley State will face Northern State, Minnesota State Moorhead, Minnesota Crookston, and Augustana.

While the Laker offense carried the team during its previous two sweeps, the GVSU defense spearheaded the victory over Lock Haven, who falls to 1-3. Grand Valley State forced the Bald Eagles into a -.016 hitting percentage with only 22 kills and 24 errors. The Lakers picked up 69 digs (including a match-best 21 digs from senior Taylor Shomin) and recorded a 9-2 edge in total blocks. Lock Haven was also unable to ace Grand Valley State at any point in the match. A few hours earlier on Saturday, GVSU held Bemidji State to a -.035 hitting percentage and just 16 kills in the three sets.

For the second time already this season, a pair of Laker middle hitters each posted double-digit kills in a three-set match. Against Lock Haven, freshman Staci Brower delivered 14 kills and a .346 hitting percentage, while adding three block assists. Senior Kaleigh Lound provided 10 kills and five block assists, as the duo single-handedly totaled more kills (24) than Lock Haven's team (22).

Senior Kourtney Wolters helped GVSU race out to a 7-1 lead in the first set with her strong serving and a pair of kills from Lound. Lock Haven creeped back into the contest and made the score 12-8, but freshman Taylor Stewart rattled off five straight points with her serving, as Lound again put down two kills and a block. Late in the frame, freshman Kaylene Norris - a defensive specialist - delivered her first collegiate kill and served an ace as the Lakers closed the frame, 25-13.

GVSU used several four or five point runs in set two and opened a 20-11 cushion after two kills apiece from Lound and senior Jessica Majerle. Ahead 22-16, Majerle and Brower put down consecutive kills, while freshman Danielle McCormick notched a solo rejection to end the set. The Lakers were lights out in the frame, hitting .455 with 13 kills and just three errors. Lound took seven swings in the second set and recorded six kills.

Leading 20-16 in the third set, Grand Valley State allowed Lock Haven back into the match, as the Bald Eagles scored five straight points and took a 21-20 lead. After an LHU service error knotted the score at 21-21, Brower combined with Stewart for a block, then put down three powerful kills to end the match.

The Lakers were just shy of doubling up Lock Haven in kills (43-22) and owned a 69-54 advantage in digs. After a match-high 15 kills against Bemidji State earlier on Saturday, freshman Brooke Smith supplied 13 digs against Lock Haven, while Stewart provided 32 assists, 10 digs, and four block assists. Majerle racked up eight kills and a pair of rejections.

For the weekend, Grand Valley State owned a .200 team hitting percentage, while holding its four opponents to a .069 mark.