Box Score
ALLENDALE, Mich. - The Ashland University volleyball team lost a nail-biting five-set match against the Grand Valley State Lakers this afternoon (Nov. 24). The Lakers held off the hard-charging Eagles, 3-2 to win the GLIAC Tournament championship.
The Lakers (29-3), the top seed in this tournament, won 25-22, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 19-17. This was the Eagles' first five-set match since their win over Tiffin on Oct. 8. The loss ended an 11-match AU winning streak. The Eagles, the second seed in the tournament, are 25-7.
"We're upset that we lost, of course, but we put up a really good fight," said AU head coach Cass Dixon. "At the end we just needed to get one ball to go our way."
Ashland was led by Samantha Zuber and Casey Clark. Zuber had 19 kills, one ace, one block solo and six block assists. Clark added a double-double with 18 kills and 23 digs. The freshman also tallied three block assists.
"Both of them stepped up with big plays at big moments," praised Dixon. "Casey with her big swings and Sam with those blocks."
Shelly DeHenning recorded a match-high 61 assists. Alli Cudworth and Maureen Johnson both had double-digit kills. Cudworth tallied 11 and Johnson ended the match with 10.
Ashland and Grand Valley traded points early on in the first set, but the Lakers soon took charge and began to pull away. GVSU gained an eight-point lead over the Eagles with the score at 17-9. AU slowly started to cut into the lead and eventually got within four points after a monster block assist from Clark and Johnson. Cudworth's second ace of the set got AU to within 22-21. The Lakers went on to win the set, 25-22. GVSU held Ashland to a .109 hitting percentage in the first set.
AU came out strong in the second set and took an early 8-2 lead. The score was 10-3 after Clark slammed a set from DeHenning into an open spot on the floor. AU continued to hold the lead the entire set. The Lakers never got within five points of the Eagles after the score was 18-13. The set ended on a huge kill from Johnson. AU hit .375 from the floor in the second set and committed only three errors.
Grand Valley took an early lead in the third set, but AU kept the score close for the majority of the set . AU was down by four until Zuber stopped a GVSU attack with a block solo to make the score 14-11, GVSU. DeHenning set up Cudworth for the attack, which she hammered into arms of a Laker defender and then ricocheted into the stands to make the score 16-15. Cudworth blocked a Laker attack to make the score 18-18 and the Eagles led the set after that. AU extended its lead to 21-19 with the help of a kill by Kara Cousins. Zuber closed the set with a kill from a pass by DeHenning. Ashland held GVSU to .186 hitting percentage in the third set.
In the fourth set the Lakers had a three-point advantage until DeHenning and Zuber stopped an attack with a well-timed block assist which made the score 9-7. AU had trouble staying with the Lakers and fell behind 18-10. After an Ashland timeout the Eagles added another point on a kill by Clark. AU scored three quick points. A block assist from DeHenning and Zuber helped the Eagles get within four points of the Lakers at 20-16. The Lakers kept control the rest of the set and won to set up a fifth set.
Grand Valley took a quick 3-1 lead in the deciding set. Clark floated an attack over the net that made the score 3-2. Marci Zeagrac's ace tied the set at 3-3. Ashland called a timeout with GVSU in front, 7-3. After a point by Zuber, senior Megan Rohlfs entered the set to serve and the Eagles won the next six points to take the lead at 9-7. Johnson's kill late in the fifth set tied the score at 12-12. Johnson and Cousins teamed up for a block assist to tie the game at 13-13. Clark added a powerful kill to tie the set, 14-14.
GVSU took the lead at 16-15, but a quick set by DeHenning to Zuber kept the Eagles in the set with the score tied at 16-16. An attack error by GVSU evened the score again at 17-17. Grand Valley won the next two points and ended the match with a 19-17 victory.
"In the fifth set we were down, 7-3 and won the next six points, got the side switch and we were in it," pointed out Dixon. "
As a team the Eagles hit .168, tallied 70 kills on 202 attempts. AU had 68 assists, eight service aces, 98 digs, three block solos, and 18 block assists.
Grand Valley State's Abby Aiken had 16 kills and 15 digs. Betsy Ronda had 15 kills and 17 digs and Kaitlyn Wolters finished with 46 assists and 22 digs. All three players were named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team and Aiken was named the Tournament MVP.
Zuber and Clark were named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team.
As of this week, GVSU was ranked first in region and Ashland was ranked sixth. NCAA postseason bids come out later this week and both teams figure to be included in the regional field. The Eagles made that trip a year ago, playing in Indianapolis. This year's regional will probably be played at Grand Valley State.
"I'm not sure if a loss helps us logistically, but I think it helps us psychologically," said Dixon. "We're not out. We're still playing in two weeks and not everyone can say that."
AU
VB/ROC
