GVSU took the lead against Davenport in the opening set with a kill by sophomore middle hitter Paige Sanders. The Lakers built a small lead from there, and carried it until halfway into the set. Then, the Panthers tied things up with a five-point run. Following a timeout, GVSU found their rhythm with a pair of kills, winning set one 25-20.

Switching sides for set two, GVSU opened with a four-point run for an early lead. After a Davenport timeout, a kill from junior setter Meghan O’Sullivan kicked off a five-point run, putting the Lakers up 12-3. Dominance on the Lakers’ end continued throughout the second set, as they held a lead of at least double Davenport’s points the entire set, winning set two 25-11. 

A kill by redshirt sophomore middle hitter Brianna Stawski kicked off set three. A close score held throughout the set, but GVSU started to pull away with kills by O’Sullivan, Sanders and sophomore outside hitter Kate Gourdeau. The Lakers completed the sweep, taking set three 25-20.

The Lakers next took on NMU in the conference semifinals, hosted at Ferris State University. Although GVSU swept the Wildcats at home in their previous matchup this season, Northern Michigan looked to keep things closer this time around.

Set one was close up until the final point, with the lead swapping seven times throughout the set. Kills by sophomore middle hitter Kennedy Arp and junior outside hitter Kendall Stover secured set one for the Lakers, 25-21.

Stover, who led her team this match in kills and digs, was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week heading into the tournament. 

“My team winning is more important than the awards,” said Stover, “I am more focused on trying to be a leader for my team now. It is cool to get seen and recognized by the conference, but it only goes so far.”

NMU took an early lead from GVSU’s attack errors, and carried that small lead throughout the second set. The Lakers fought back, and were eventually able to take the lead, 20-19. Each team fought hard, but the Wildcats took set two, 26-24.

Momentum continued for NMU, as they started the third set with three straight kills. They continued to build off of this lead deep into the set, and eventually won set three, 25-20. Behind in sets, the Lakers rallied heading into set four.

Although Northern Michigan scored first, the Lakers responded with a strong seven-point run to begin set four. This time around, the Lakers built off of the early lead. A final kill by Stover tied the match at two sets a piece, with the Lakers winning set four, 25-16.

In the fifth and final set, a team only needs to score 15 points to win. With each team on the verge of elimination, back-and-forth scoring kept things close. An attack error by NMU gave the Lakers the final point needed to win set five, 16-14.

Moving on, GVSU will take on No. 1 Ferris State University (30-0) in the conference final, and with the NCAA tournament shortly after that, the players are preparing for a change in opponents.

“Not having as much time to prepare for opponents changes how we have to do things at practice,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “(Regardless), we use every bit (of time) we have to prepare as much as possible for whoever is next. Our goal has always been to make our way through this tournament, but we now know that every match is a one-and-done. There is no opportunity to play the next day if you’re not successful in the day you’re on.”

Stover noted that to her, the team hasn’t had an easy schedule thus far.

“We haven’t had an easy schedule, so every time that we step on the court we have had to have some kind of competitive mindset, Stover said. “That will carry on into the postseason and our future opponents.”

Further, Stawski emphasized that each postseason game acts as practice for the next matchup.

“We can learn what we need to work on in one match, and use that to work on whoever is next on the schedule,” Stawski added.

The Lakers began the weekend facing off against Davenport, in which GVSU has historically had twelve wins, seven losses and a current win streak of six matches. Heading into Friday’s match against the Panthers, GVSU sat at 21-1 overall and 10-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), as a result of a 12 game win streak. 

The first set began with the Panthers taking an early lead, but the Lakers weren’t too far behind. Each team traded points, running up the score, and the Panthers continued to lead until sophomore Kate Goudreau landed a kill, which was set up by junior Meghan O’Sullivan. This made the score 11-10. Building off the momentum, the Lakers continued their lead 16-14, but faced a major roadblock as the Panthers went on a hot streak, stealing set one.

Set two ignited the grit of the Lakers, as they climbed up in points and led 7-2. In that run, senior Jordyn Gates put away two back-to-back kills, contributing major points and maintaining the team’s energy. The two teams remained relatively close, but GVSU never lost the lead. At 15-12, the Lakers went on a game-winning run.  

Entering the third set tied, the Lakers took advantage of their energy from the previous set to lead 11-3 with seven kills and three big blocks. The Lakers stormed ahead, taking advantage of Davenport’s attacking and service errors. Shutting down the Panthers in set three, 25-12, granted the Lakers the match lead at 2-1. 

The Lakers carried their momentum into set four with two early kills from Goudreau at 3-0. GVSU continued to put up points, but the Panthers wouldn’t let up. The Panthers took advantage of GVSU’s attacking, service and communication errors, and brought the score to 10-8. However, the Lakers bounced back and answered with a run, highlighting kills from Goudreau, junior Kendall Stover and sophomore Paige Sanders. With a 10 point lead, the Lakers closed the set at 25-15. 

GVSU’s game leaders were Gates and O’Sullivan, with 11 kills each. Close behind was Sanders with nine kills, and Stover and Goudreau with eight kills. Senior Julia Blaney dominated the backline with 25 digs. 

With a major win against Davenport and facing the No. 2 ranked Ferris State less than 24 hours after, the Lakers had a short recovery period. 

“You always have to worry about rest and recovery when you have to travel with back-to-back games,” said Johnson. “This particular weekend, it was also managing being home in between (matches), and the distractions that come with that.” 

Recovery and down time was not in favor for the Lakers when they continued their road trip to Big Rapids, Michigan. The Bulldogs and the Lakers are familiar with one another, as they have played a total of 52 matches historically. Going into the weekend, the Lakers had only won 23 of those 52, and had a three game losing streak against the Bulldogs. This match, the Lakers saw their 13-game winning streak conclude, and an added fourth game to their losing streak against the Bulldogs. 

The first set was neck and neck, as each team traded the lead and points. At 13-12, Ferris went on a three-point run, which closed the gap against the Lakers. Stover kept GVSU alive with back-to-back kills, bringing the score 16-19 Bulldogs. However, Ferris capitalized on GVSU’s attacking, service and communication errors, and ended the set 25-19. 

In the second set, the Lakers were determined to compete with the Bulldogs. Each team remained consistent and bounced points back and forth. Redshirt sophomore Brianna Stawski landed a major kill for the Lakers, tying up the set 12-12. The Bulldogs responded with a seven point lead. Never giving up, the Lakers held their own and pushed the score to 19-21. Despite their persistence, the Lakers fell short and the Bulldogs took set two 25-22. 

In an all or nothing situation, the Lakers started set three with the first three points on the board. The Bulldogs went on an 11-2 run, closing the gap for the Lakers. On a hot streak, the Bulldogs determined the fate of the set with another run, putting the score at 21-10. The Lakers went on a four-point streak with kills by Stover and Gates, making it 14-21. However, the Lakers’ run wasn’t enough and the Bulldogs pulled the set and match win, 25-15. 

“The biggest difference between last night (Davenport) and today (Ferris) was the ability to compete,” said Gates. “We knew walking into Davenport (that) we were going to get their best, so having to match that level was tough. But then having to find that level again against the (number two) team in the nation, we struggled to get (the) intensity to where we needed it in order to play with them.” 

GVSU’s volleyball team faced some struggles on the road, but will return next weekend to face Saginaw Valley State University on Friday, Nov. 8 at home.

The Lakers enjoyed their return to Allendale, with their last five matches being away. Although they had been without home-court advantage, the team had gone undefeated in all of their away matches so far this season.

“Being back in front of our home crowd is big,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “Being in an environment and having facilities that you are familiar with is huge when it comes to performance. The later in the season when playoffs come, you are going to be playing at a lot of unfamiliar places, so having our stride in away matches will help us later in the season.”

Redshirt sophomore middle hitter Brianna Stawski expressed relief upon returning home.

“Finally coming back and playing here is such a relief,” Stawski said. “We love whenever we get to defend our home court.”

Senior libero Julia Blaney agreed with Stawski.

“(We love) any chance we get to play in front of our own people on our own courts,” Blaney said. “We do everything we can to make sure we win for the people who come and support us.”

An attack error by Northern Michigan started the Lakers off with the lead in the first set. From there, GVSU maintained momentum and the lead. Senior outside hitter Kendall Stover and sophomore middle hitter Paige Sanders helped the Lakers win the first set 25-13, with both Stover and Sanders leading the team in kills, hitting percentage and points thus far.

To start the second set, Northern Michigan rebounded, maintaining at least a one-point lead in a back-and-forth scoring battle. Towards the end of the set, the Wildcats stretched their lead by four, but the Lakers responded, tying the score 20-20. A kill by junior setter Meghan O’Sullivan gave GVSU a late lead, but Northern Michigan pulled ahead 24-21. With their backs against a wall at match point, the Lakers locked in and put together an overpowering run, swiping the set 28-26.

Closing in on another conference win, the Lakers started set three with a 5-1 run. They continued to play at the top of their game, holding the lead all of the way to a 25-16 victory, and a sweep over the Wildcats.

The following day, the Lakers started set one slow against the Huskies, but would pick up momentum late in the set. Michigan Tech responded with a strong run of their own, reaching match point at 24-23. Nevertheless, kills by Sanders and sophomore outside hitter Kate Goudreau wrapped up set one, 26-24, giving the Lakers a 1-0 lead.

GVSU got out to a hot start to begin the second set, going up 10-4. The Huskies were able to close the gap, but could not overcome the deficit, giving set two to the Lakers, 25-18.

Michigan Tech finally found their footing in the third set, taking an early lead and maintaining pressure on the Lakers. Although GVSU dropped set three 12-25 to the Huskies, set four was all they needed to secure the victory.

Taking a 7-3 lead in the fourth set, the Lakers inched closer to the win. The Huskies tied things up later in the set at 17, but it was not enough, and GVSU would take the final set, 25-21.

Currently on a 12 game win streak and sitting at 20-1, this is the team’s best start to a season in program history.

“This team wants to be in the NCAA tournament, and we want to make a deep run,” said Johnson. “To do that, you have to keep on showing up and performing.”

GVSU will head back out on the road to Davenport University (9-13) on Friday Nov. 1 and to No. 2 ranked rival Ferris State University (22-0) the following day, Saturday, Nov. 2.

On Friday, Oct. 11, the Lakers came out on top, 3-1, in their away match against the UWP Rangers with scores of 21-25, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-10. The next day, Saturday, Oct. 12, the Lakers traveled to Indiana to play against the Purdue University Northwest Lions. The Lakers secured the win against the Lions 3-1 with scores of 25-18, 25-21, 20-25 and 27-25.

In the beginning of the first set against UWP, the Lakers and Rangers were neck and neck until a kill by GVSU’s middle hitter Paige Sanders brought the score to 9-8. The Lakers continued to keep their lead for a couple of more plays with the Rangers trailing close behind. They fought hard to maintain control of the set, but the Rangers finally managed to catch up with a kill from Sam Fisch, tying the teams 15-15.

The Rangers followed this up with another kill from outside hitter Sierra Kilbourn, giving Parkside their first lead in the set. Following Kilbourn’s kill for Parkside, the teams went back and forth, battling for control as it neared set point.

With the Lakers and Rangers tied 21-21, the pressure was on. Parkside fought hard for the win and scored four consecutive points, securing them the victory of the opening set.

The Lakers came back strong in the second set and kept a considerable lead the entire time. The Lakers were triumphant, taking the second set with a 25-14 lead.

At the beginning of the third set, GVSU lost their momentum and consistently trailed behind the Rangers until an attack error from UWP tied the two at 10-10. The Lakers took advantage of this tie to gain some momentum and take the lead. They held this lead for the remainder of the set.

GVSU took an early lead in the final set and held tightly to it. With clear domination, the Lakers took the final set, securing them the win with a final score of 25-10.

GVSU volleyball head coach Jason Johnson noted that when it comes to being on the road, creating routines for players is especially important.

“The hardest thing to do for any student athlete is to perform and do their best each and every night,” said GVSU volleyball head coach Jason Johnson. “The challenges of being on the road only make that harder. We keep working on being consistent with our training, preparation and recovery between matches.  This helps establish a routine they can work through each weekend.”

The following day, the Lakers competed in a match up against the Lions. The first set of the game was close, with both teams battling for control. Neither team was able to hold the lead for long. This changed after an attack error from the Lions’ Marina Gronkiewicz awarded the Lakers a point, bringing the score to 11-10. From that point onward, the Lakers held the lead, securing the victory for that set, 25-18.

In the second set, the Lakers fought with impressive grit. Both teams scored back-to-back points, constantly tying the score. Toward the end of the set, the Lakers took the lead 16-15, thanks to a service ace Sanders. After Sanders’ service ace, the Lions couldn’t catch back up and the set went to GVSU.

The Lions got off to an early lead of 9-5 in the third set. However, things began to heat up as the Lakers scored four consecutive points against the Lions, tying the score 9-9. The Lions fought to take the lead back by scoring three more points with a kill from Olivia Brooke and two attack errors from the Lakers. The Lakers dug deep and managed to tie the score again, 20-20. So close to match point, both teams fought hard, but the Lions delivered the finishing blow by scoring four more points to win the set 25-20.

In the opening of the final set, the Lakers dominated. From the very beginning, they took an early lead of 10-3. Despite the Lakers’ lead, the Lions didn’t give up and they continued to fight to close the gap. They managed to tie with the Lakers, 24-24. The Lions made their move and scored another point with a kill from Julia Ross, making the score 24-25.

The Lakers felt the pressure, but they didn’t fold. Stawski scored with a kill, tying the score once again at 25-25. With two more kills from junior Kendall Stover and Stawski, the Lakers took home the win.

After a successful weekend, the Lakers hope to continue their victories at the Midwest Region Crossover in Hammond, Indiana, starting Oct. 18.

Heading into Saturday’s match against the Roosevelt Lakers, Grand Valley led in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) with an overall record of 12-1 and a conference record of 5-1. As a first-year member of the GLIAC, Roosevelt’s overall record is 1-12 with a conference record of 0-5. 

Entering the match, GVSU’s dominant record and ranking were based on consistency. Facing teams such as Roosevelt test the Lakers’ motivation and grit from all levels of competition. Head coach Jason Johnson stressed the importance of consistency and how it motivates the team to prepare for tougher matches. 

“The level of competition always is going to play into the energy that you’re bringing into the gym, but we try to push our players to be very consistent with the type of energy and preparation that they have heading into any match, regardless of who it is or what the perceived level of competition might be,” said Johnson.

Maintaining consistency relies on what athletes do on and off the court. Creating a routine and habits can set a foundation for success. Senior Julia Blaney stressed the importance of her pregame routine to keep her motivated and consistent. 

“I go by myself and I do a prayer, a worship song and then I watch a motivational video,” Blaney said. “I visualize and then I meet with the team to have our dance party (before the game).”

Translating the individual and team routines into gameplay is exactly what the Lakers do best. 

The Lakers started their first set against Roosevelt strongly with an early lead of 11-0. Disrupting GVSU’s lead with an attack error by junior Kendall Stover, Roosevelt was allowed to put their first point on the board. However, the Lakers persevered and continued to use their momentum to gain crucial points. They increased their lead up to 15-1 after a major kill from sophomore Kennedy Arp. The Lakers then cruised on to 20 points with 2 kills from sophomore Kate Goudreau and 2 service aces for junior Meghan O’Sullivan. From there, the team secured the opening set win, 25-8. 

Starting the second set, Roosevelt stayed level with GVSU but never took the lead. At 12-7, the momentum changed for GVSU due to a major kill from Arp. The Lakers took advantage of Roosevelt’s attack errors and ran with the lead at 17-9. Ending the set on a 10-4 run, the Lakers secured the second set at 25-11. 

In the final set, GVSU led 7-0 from Roosevelt’s attacking errors and a kill by Gourdreau. Roosevelt dug deep for momentum and trailed the Lakers 7-10. The Lakers gained a 4-point run and Roosevelt responded with a 5-point run, taking the set to 14-11. Redshirt sophomore Brianna Stawski provided two crucial points with massive kills that helped GVSU bring the score to 17-12. Roosevelt grew into the game and continued to put up points, but could never get closer than three points. GVSU closed out the third set with a perfect setup from O’Sullivan for Stover to put it away, ending the set 25-16.

GVSU’s game leaders offensively were Stawski, with nine kills on a .750 hitting percentage, Goudreau with six kills on a .857 hitting percentage and Arp with five kills on a .714 hitting percentage. The defensive leaders were O’Sullivan with five kills and 17 assists, Blaney with 14 digs and Caroline Baker with 12 assists. 

Defeating Roosevelt in a 3-set sweep added to GVSU’s winning streak and hunger for more wins. Reflecting on the game, Stawski shared her training focus for the next match. 

“I like to go early on a lot of attacking, so patience and keeping my hands up (is important),” Stawski said. “I’d say consistency in a lot of those areas (is my focus).”

For their next competition, the Lakers will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin to face off against the Parkside Rangers on Friday, Oct. 11.

On Friday, Sept. 27, the GVSU Lakers dominated against LSSU with a 3-0 sweep. They won their sets with scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-22. This win for the Lakers counted as their thirty-fifth consecutive victory over LSSU, with the record dating back to 2002.

With GVSU’s current dominant record and ranking, teams such as LSSU can easily be brushed off by the Lakers. However, the team’s head coach Jason Johnson feels that regardless of the opponent’s record, playing away games is essential to being a skilled team.

“No matter what the record of a team might be, travel is a great equalizer,” Johnson said. “You must go and play in someone else’s gym, and manage what their strengths are. We still have a lot to work on and get better at, so every match we play is another opportunity to do that.”

GVSU started their first set against LSSU strongly with an early lead of 10-4. They held this lead up until a service error from freshman Grace Busold awarded LSSU a point. LSSU took advantage of this, and gained some momentum. They managed to slightly bridge the gap, bringing the score to 11-8. However, their momentum didn’t last long before GVSU closed the door on them with a kill by Kendall Stover. 

Following the kill by Stover, GVSU scored three more back-to-back points, including an impressive ace by setter Meghan O’Sullivan, taking the score to 15-8.

At the end of the opening set with a score of 24-16, LSSU began to feel the pressure. They fought fiercely to catch up, and were able to bring the score to 24-19. Despite the effort they exerted, the Laker’s Stover triumphantly closed the set with a kill.

The second set started similarly to the first one, with GVSU taking an early 12-5 lead. Following their lead, things began to heat up, and the two teams went back and forth until the end of the set. In spite of the back and forth, the Lakers never lost their lead, and they closed out the second set with a service ace from libero Julia Blaney.

In the final set, LSSU kept the Lakers on their toes with a game of tug of war for the win. For the first few plays, both teams exchanged back-and-forth kills in a battle for the lead until LSSU’s Jordyn Haller made an attack error, giving the lead to GVSU 9-8. The Lakers held this lead for most of the set until Haller tied up the score 19-19 with a kill. 

Following Haller’s point, GVSU dug deep and scored five consecutive points to bring the match to game point. With the game on the line, LSSU raced to catch up with a commendable effort displayed by LSSU’s middle blocker Morgan Deming. Despite their effort to catch up, a service error by Deming secured the win for GVSU.

Laker Jordyn Gates dominated with 10 kills and 15 assists, along with Katie Goudreau, who had seven kills.

Following GVSU’s triumph over LSSU, they competed the next day against the SVSU Cardinals with another 3-0 sweep. The Lakers won their sets 25-20, 25-19 and 25-19.

The opening set began with the Lakers taking the lead 8-3. The Cardinals gradually began to catch up until they were neck and neck with the Lakers, with a close 18-17 score. Despite this, the Lakers never gave up their lead, and the team won the first set 25-20. 

During the second set, the Cardinals upped their offense and stayed neck and neck with the Lakers the majority of the set. The Lakers gradually began to pull away following a kill from Goudreau, which made the score 18-16. The Lakers wrapped up the set with a six-point lead, 25-19.

The final set started close, with the Cardinals consistently trailing behind the Lakers, until a kill by Busold brought the score 10-8. After Busold’s kill, the Lakers maintained control of the set. 

The Lakers claimed victory over the Cardinals with another six-point lead over SVSU on the last set, ending the game with a final score of 25-19.

By the end of the game, Kendall Stover once again led with nine kills, Brianna Stawski had eight, and O’Sullivan had seven kills, in addition to 14 assists.

Heading into Friday’s match against the Bulldogs, both teams were undefeated at 8-0, and each looked to spoil their rival’s early winning streak.

The first set began with each team trading points and running up the score. Ferris pulled away various times with three and four-point runs throughout the set, but the Lakers rallied and closed the gap each time. Late kills by junior setter Meghan O’Sullivan and sophomore middle hitter Paige Sanders helped GVSU with a late run. Ferris maintained and took the first set 26-24, despite the narrow lead.

Sanders was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Defensive Player of the Week for her performance at the Hampton Inn and Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic tournament on Sept. 12-14.

“As soon as you accomplish something, you have to reset your standards to achieve something new,” said Sanders.

After switching sides to start the second set, the game followed a similar script, with each team trading the lead. This time around, the Lakers began to pull away with small runs of their own. The Bulldogs mustered up a strong run to tie the score late 17-17, and with dominance late in the second set, they secured the victory 27-25.

A mix of attack errors and early kills by junior outside hitter Kendall Stover pulled the Lakers ahead to start the third set. GVSU took control in the third, and a ball set up by senior setter Jordyn Gates and senior libero Julia Blaney allowed Stover to give the finishing blow, which secured a 25-11 win for her squad.

A contested fourth set allowed each team to show off their strong offenses and resilience. Starting partway through the set, each team would exchange points until the end, when the Bulldogs came away with the win, 28-26.

“We performed gritty,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “We did not execute well at the end of our sets. We struggle to perform between points 21-24, but I know we can improve on everything that we do. We did a lot of good things tonight, and this is just the beginning of the season. We just have to understand we still have a lot of season left to compete.”

O’Sullivan noted that despite the team’s loss, players had a strong mentality.

“Once we believe in the confidence that we have, we can go a long way,” stated O’Sullivan. “We were the underdog, and tomorrow is a new day and a new game.”

The Lakers rebounded the following day for their alumni game against the Davenport Panthers.

“A big part of our program is keeping alumni around,” said Johnson. “We love having them (as) a part of what we do. It helps that I have been here long enough to know most of our alumni.”

Similar to their previous game against Ferris, GVSU and Davenport exchanged points to begin each set. Halfway through the first and second set, GVSU constructed deep point runs, giving them swift victories 25-17 and 25-11. 

The girls were able to complete a sweep for the third and final set, winning 25-22. GVSU outperformed Davenport in all statistical aspects, with five Lakers reaching double-digit kills. 

For their next competition, the Lakers will travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to face off against Lake Superior State University on Friday, Sept. 27.

The Lakers started the tournament against Northwood University (6-1). Northwood came out strong, dominating in the first set. Throughout, Northwood went on multiple three point runs and took the lead with an eight point run, winning the set 25-20. However, GVSU then took control in the second and third set, going on four point runs and winning the second set 25-10 and the third set 25-18.

Going point-for-point in the fourth set, Northwood came out on top, winning 28-26, and taking the Lakers into a fifth set. The Lakers began the fifth set with a four point run, and ended the set on a three point run, ultimately taking the fifth set 15-9.

Not only did GVSU take the 3-2 win against Northwood, they also dominated in kills, averaging about 12 kills per set. Leading the team was freshman outside hitter Grace Busold, who finished with 13 kills and 2 blocks, and senior setter Jordyn Gates who finished with 10 kills, 32 assists and 4 blocks. 

Head coach Jason Johnson described the element of unpredictability that’s present in tournaments.

“The reality is, you can’t prepare for them (tournaments), and so we’re just trying to figure out the little stuff, but it’s really about our side of the net at this time of the year” said Johnson.

Busold also shared her feelings about the importance of teamwork.

“You can just depend on every person out there to do their job,” Busold said. “Everybody can evolve. You just have to work with your teammates, work with everybody and just outsmart.”

After a tough match against Northwood, the Lakers took on both Tiffin University and Missouri Western State University on Friday, Sept 13. Starting in the first two sets against Tiffin, the Lakers dominated in both sets with multiple two-to-three point runs, winning the first set 25-18, and winning the second set 25-14. Starting in the third set, Tiffin managed to get ahead, running a six point lead, and ultimately taking the third set 25-19, pushing the Lakers to a fourth.

Starting in the fourth set, the Lakers ran a five point lead, keeping their lead and ultimately winning the set 25-23.

In the first set against Missouri, the Lakers had the lead until Missouri went on a four point run. However, the Lakers quickly bounced back and took over that lead on a six point run, taking the set 25-23. The Lakers dominated in both the second and third sets, taking the second set 25-18, and the third 25-21. This earned them their first sweep in the tournament against Missouri.

Continuing into Saturday, Sept. 14, the GVSU Lakers took on Bemidji State University for their final game of the tournament. Starting in the first set, the Lakers went on two three point runs, with a total of 14 kills, taking the first set 25-19. The Lakers then finished on top in the second set, 25-18. Going into the third set, the Lakers came in with an immediate three point run, ultimately keeping themselves in the lead, and finishing the third set 25-15, earning their second sweep of the weekend against Bemidji State. 

Finishing the weekend 4-0 and boasting an undefeated record, the Lakers will be taking on Ferris State University at home on Friday Sept. 20 at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

The Lakers opened their 2024 season with a sweep against the University of Indianapolis (2-2), winning 25-19, 25-22 and 25-15.

After losing 23-25 in the first set of their second match against the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2-2), the Lakers rebounded by dominating the following three sets 25-20, 25-19 and 25-17. 

GVSU continued their win streak the following day, sweeping Kentucky Wesleyan College (0-4) 25-15, 25-19 and 25-10. 

The Lakers closed out the successful weekend against Maryville University (1-3). After winning the first two sets 25-16 and 25-18, they lost the third 23-25. However, a swift 25-18 win in the fourth set secured the Lakers a four-game winning streak to start their season.

Although the team performed exceptionally well, the first games of the season are the hardest to prepare for, according to head coach Jason Johnson.

“This early in the season, the first match is for everybody,” said Johnson. “There is not much film on these teams and programs. You don’t prepare the same for these as you would for conference matches. It’s more about preparing our side of the net early on. With not having as much film, we can really only try to get ourselves better.”

While these early challenges make it difficult to fully prepare, the players still have their own way of getting ready for their games.

“The day of the game, every individual has their own routine that they will do pregame to prepare themselves,” said senior Julia Blaney. “Preparation as a team comes a week prior when we have our scouting reports to try to get to know the other team. Lots of practice goes into each match.”

Looking forward to the next match, the Lakers have outlined the goals they are hoping to achieve this season.

“Every year we want to finish top of the conference and top in the region,” Johnson said. “This team has its sights on the elite eight this season. While the end goal is high, we have to learn that (the goal) is not the only way to measure success in the season.”

Johnson’s aspirations are also shared by other players on the team.

“Our goals are high,” senior Jordyn Gates said. “We came off a great season last year, (and) we have some new faces this year, but the goals are still the same. We want to make it deep in all tournaments. We just want to win because we know we can go far.”

Last season, Gates was an integral part of the Lakers’ success. 

She was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First-Team All-American and was the AVCA Midwest Region Player of the Year. Furthermore, she was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference. Gates also led the NCAA with 15 triple-doubles, setting a new single-season NCAA record.

With her successes last season, Gates hopes to attain personal goals as well.

“I want to go First-Team All-American back-to-back,” Gates said. “I shocked myself last year with everything I was able to achieve, and I would love to add a couple more on top of that. I’m ultimately just trying to enjoy playing. I enjoy where I am and everyone around me. It’s my last season, so if I accomplish those things then great, but if I don’t, then life still goes on.”

The Lakers’ next match is their home opener against Northwood University at 6 p.m. in the Fieldhouse Arena.

Leading the Lakers into 2024 is Head Coach Jason Johnson, who bolsters a 62-28 record. Although Johnson is entering only his fourth year as head coach, this will mark his twenty-sixth season with the program.

During their 2023 campaign, the team achieved the most wins in a single season in nine years, going 27-5. In addition to this record, the team was able to win a shared Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) championship– their first conference title since 2013. The Lakers’ season ultimately fell short in the NCAA Regional Tournament to the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

One of the biggest changes since last season is the roster. As players graduate, the introduction of freshmen onto the team is vital for replacing talent that is lost. With the switch to college athletics not being an easy task, the more experienced players have to find ways to incorporate incoming freshmen into the team. 

“The incoming freshmen have a great variety of personalities that will add valuable voices and roles to the team, as well as their talent on the court,” said junior setter Meghan O’Sullivan. “The past few years, with each new class of freshmen coming in, the competition has continued to grow, just like it will with them this year.”

Junior outside hitter Kendall Stover elaborated on how the freshmen’s personalities add to the overall team dynamic.

“They vary from direct and driven, to calm and steady, which is what makes them a strong group,” Stover said. “They all will bring something different to our team which is a huge positive.”

While the addition of freshmen is crucial to the team, what they can learn from the returning players is just as important. Returning players play a direct role in the freshmen’s transition and development in collegiate volleyball.

“We have always made sure to support one another and always be open to each other with anything we need,” O’Sullivan said. “On the court we set a standard and everyone has their own way of showing others how we reach it, whether they are demonstrating by example or directing them with what to do.”

Stover emphasized that one of the team’s core values is family.

“Us returners try to make every single freshman and person feel like family as soon as they step on campus and are a part of our team,” Stover said.

The Lakers will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, for their season opener against the University of Indianapolis on Friday, Sept. 6. Their home opener will commence on Thursday, Sept. 12 against Northwood University.