ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Michigan Tech volleyball team fell 3-1 at Grand Valley State Saturday (Oct. 28). The Lakers won 25-20, 21-25, 25-19, and 25-20 to improve to 19-3 overall and 11-2 in the GLIAC. The Huskies are 11-13 overall and 7-6 in the GLIAC.

"We're just so close to turning the big corner as a group," Tech coach Matt Jennings said. "Our inconsistency in the backcourt seems to be a real thorn in our side and I feel it cost us here again today. Our offense was good enough at times today to give us a real shot. Kaycee and Lindy more than did their jobs here in this one. We just didn't make it hard enough for them to score and were way too tentative in serve receive again."

The teams battled through seven ties and three lead changes in the first before GVSU used a 6-0 run to take a 23-17 lead. The Huskies got three points after a pair of errors on the home team and a kill by Tess Hayes but five different Lakers had at least two kills and the home team led after one.

The Huskies responded in the second with a 25-21 win to tie it up going into the break. The Lakers committed 14 attack errors in the second. Tech finished the frame on a 8-2 run with Rachel Zurek making the setpoint kill and Kaycee Meiners hitting down the winner. Four different Huskies had at least a pair of kills.

GVSU never trailed in the third to retake the lead. Rachel Zurek and Lindy Oujiri combined for eight kills but Jordyn Gates put down nine kills for the home team and the Lakers hit .395 in the 25-19 win.

The teams traded runs in the fourth set. The Black and Gold led 14-13 before GVSU went on a 6-1 run to take the lead for good. Points went back and forth until back-to-back kills by Meghan O'Sullivan gave the home team the win.

Lindy Oujiri led the Huskies with 15 kills and hit .342. Kaycee Meiners finished with 11 kills and four block assists while hitting .474. Rachel Zurek (9 kills) and Meg Raabe (7 kills) were also key on the offense while Tess Hayes set the attack with 39 assists. Amelia Albers was in double figures for the ninth straight match with 17 digs. Alayna Corwin added 11 digs.

Tech has a quick turnaround and wraps up its three-and-a-half-week road trip at Northern Michigan on Tuesday.

"We survived the weekend with a big win and a hard-fought loss, but now it's time to move on and get ready for a showdown in Marquette on Tuesday," added Jennings. 

The Halloween evening match begins at 6:30 p.m. at Vandamanet Arena. GRIT (WLUC 6.3, Charter 192) will televise the game locally.