SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State volleyball team lost a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) match to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Friday, Oct. 29 by a final score of 3-1. With the defeat, the Lakers fall to 2-9 in conference play this season after losing the match by scores of 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, and 25-18.
The first set saw a strong start from the Cardinals as the visiting team took an early 6-1 lead over the Lakers. The Lakers, led by a pair of kills from senior Bethany Wilson and freshman Maggie Morris, came back within three points of SVSU (8-5). Later in the set, Wilson recorded a giant kill against the Cardinals to make it a 13-8 score, in favor of SVSU. The Lakers pulled within four points of Saginaw Valley (15-11) when freshman Ally Lasley served an ace. As the set went on, the Lakers continued to pull closer to the Cardinals and were trailing by just three points (21-18) when Ally Gruber registered a service ace. Lake Superior State could not hold off the Cardinals in the late stages of the set and SVSU took the first set by a final score of 25-20.
In the second set, the score between the two teams remained close through the first ten points as the Cardinals held a two point lead (6-4). The Cardinals went on a run, scoring five of the next six points in the set to take a 10-5 lead over the Lakers. However, the Lakers responded with a five point rally of their own to tie the game at 10. The set remained tied through the next stretch of play as the teams were tied at 17-17. SVSU would close out the set strong and take a two-set lead with a 25-21 win.
The Lakers forced a fourth set after a 25-21 win in set three. The set was even through the first 14 points played as each team earned seven points. The Lakers began to build a lead through the middle of the set as the home squad took a 14-9 lead over the Cardinals. Saginaw Valley came back to bring the set within point (16-15) but the Lakers would hold down the lead. Back-to-back kills from Sarah Bailey and Camdyn Odykirk would help the Lakers take a 19-15 lead in the set. The Cardinals pulled within three points of the Lakers in the final stages of the set but the Lakers would clinch a 25-21 victory with a kill from Odykirk.
The fourth, and final set, of the match was once again evenly matched to start as the teams were tied at eight and then once again at 13. The Cardinals began to extend the lead after that point, scoring six of the next seven points to take a 19-14 lead. LSSU was unable to come back and did not have an answer for the Cardinals offense as Saginaw Valley clinched the set, and the match, by a score of 25-18.
Stat Leaders: Junior Ally Gruber led the team with 13 kills while Odykirk ranked second with 10 kills against the Cardinals. Gruber and Odykirk both recorded a .206 hitting percentage in the match. Senior setter Halle Grulke led the team with 34 assists in the match.
Defensively, the Lakers were led by their libero Hagelthorn who posted a team-leading 29 digs in the match while freshman Ally Lasley ranked second on the team with 15 digs.
Up Next
The Lakers will play their final home match of the season tomorrow afternoon against the Wayne State Warriors at 2:00 p.m. The match will take place in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium and a special ceremony will be held following the match to honor the graduating seniors.
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