Sports

Volleyball's season ends with falter in playoffs

By Emanuel Johnson GVL Senior Reporter
11/23/2009

Just as they did in the GLIAC tournament, the Laker volleyball team exited the NCAA Tournament in the opening round, ending the team’s season with an 0-2 playoff record.

This past Thursday the volleyball team lost its final chance to continue its season when it dropped a 3-1 decision to GLIAC rival Saginaw Valley State University in the Midwest Regional bracket.

Although the Lakers could not manage to salvage their season, GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon maintained there was little to criticize in the effort they put up against the Cardinals.

“We came out and really matched them point for point in taking game one,” she said. “We had a slight let down in game two, offensively we probably didn’t put up the numbers that we needed to, but I thought we battled most of the way through which I didn’t think we’ve done a very good job of in the last couple weeks.”

Where the Lakers blundered, however, was in their offensive performance. The team committed 34 attack errors, on top of only 36 kills en route to a season low .019 attack percentage.

“Nothing really clicked for us,” said sophomore outside hitter Courtney McCotter. “We had very little fluidity in our play. In the first game we came out with intensity and it was great, but after that it just kind of died off and nothing worked right for us. We made way too many errors, and it cost us.”

The Cardinals went on in the tournament and were shut out in the second round in a 3-0 decision to Lewis University.

The loss ended an up and down 16-13 season campaign for GVSU. While the Lakers finished with a winning record, the team never managed to put together a winning streak of more than three games at a time.

Scanlon said this was one of the major reasons for the team’s ultimate downfall.

“I really wish that we were more consistent in how we responded to a high level of competition,” she said. “The conference was maybe the toughest and deepest that it’s been in my 15 years being here. We’ve played some really good matches and beat some really good teams, but the most disappointing thing was not being able to maintain a consistency all year.”

The team will graduate four seniors from this year’s roster, including leading attacker Whitney Tremain. But Scanlon said she was eager to move forward and make preparations for next season.

“Wherever there’s an ending, there’s a new beginning,” she said. “I am excited about the young kids that we have on this team as well as some of the kids that we redshirted this year. You look at the GLIAC this year and there are a lot of great seniors leaving. With our young talent heading into next season, things should line up fairly well for us.”

One of Scanlon’s young gems is freshman setter Rachel Rohlfs. Though she only got the opportunity to compete in a few minutes spread out during 16 sets, she managed to round up 26 assists and five kills.

“I wish we could start spring season tomorrow,” Rohlfs said. “Coach told us that there were going to be changes in the offseason. We obviously need to prepare better for the season, but I know we’re gonna get killed in training. But it’ll be for the best.”

ejohnson@lanthorn.com

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