SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's volleyball team fell in their home opener to the Michigan Tech Huskies by a final score of 3-0 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) match on Friday, Sept. 24.The Lakers fall to 0-3 in conference play after losing the match by scores of 25-19, 25-18, and 25-23.
The Lakers got out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set over the Huskies but Michigan Tech answered with a run of seven consecutive points to take a 9-3 lead. By the midpoint of the set, the Lakers trailed by three points (16-13). However, Michigan Tech's offense took over as the visitors built a 23-14 lead and would go on to take the opening set by a score of 25-19.
The second set began with the pair of conference teams exchanging points as the score was 6-4 in favor of the Huskies through the first 10 points played. A big kill by sophomore Emilee McDaniel brought the Lakers within four points of the Lakers later in the set (11-7). With the game at 15-12, the Huskies went on a five point run to take a 20-12 lead. The Lakers would try to come back late in the set adding five of the set's next six points to pull within four points (22-18). The Huskies would tally three straight points to end the set.
Michigan Tech started off the third set with an 8-0 lead over the Lakers. The Lakers responded with five straight points (8-5) but the Huskies would slowly build upon the lead to eventually hold a 19-10 advantage in the set. The Lakers would show no quit in front of their home crowd for the first time over a year as they came back to take a 23-22 lead in the set. In the span, Halle Grulke recorded two service aces, Taylor Fleming recorded two kills, and a kill by Bethany Wilson. The Huskies would seal the match win with three straight points (25-23).
Stat Leaders: Sophomore Emilee McDaniel had an excellent match for the Lakers as she led the team with eight kills and a block. Ally Gruber ranked second on the team with seven kills and senior Camdyn Odykirk rounded out the top three Lakers in the match with six kills.
Setter Halle Grulke, who sits in 10th place all-time in Laker career assists with 1,336, added 19 assists for the Lakers against Michigan Tech. Grulke added three aces in the match to lead the team. Sophomore libero Emily Hagelthorn recorded 15 of the team's 44 digs in the match, including a diving dig late in the second set.
Up Next
The Lakers will wrap up their first weekend of home competition tomorrow afternoon against the Northern Michigan Wildcats at 2:00 p.m. in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
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