GVSU To Face Armstrong Atlantic State University (Ga.) In NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tonight

Release courtesy of D.J. Foster and the GVSU Sports Information Dept.

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St. Paul, Minnesota - Grand Valley State faces Armstrong Atlantic for just the second time in school history on Thursday evening (Dec. 3) at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Lakers, 32-3 overall and ranked #3 in the country, face the unranked Pirates (28-6) at 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time for the right to advance to the Final Four.

GVSU has won 29 of its last 30 matches, which featured a school-record tying 22-match win streak from Sept. 5 to Nov. 1. The Lakers won all six postseason matches at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena, winning the GLIAC and Midwest Regional championships. Five of the six matches were four-set victories, while Grand Valley State tallied one 3-0 sweep.

Armstrong Atlantic enters the tournament as winners of the Southeast Regional championship after sweeping Catawba, 3-0, in the title match. The Pirates also defeated Lander and Lincoln Memorial in the regional tournament, both in five-set contests.

The teams have met just one other time, on Sept. 1, 2000 in Allendale, Mich., when the Lakers totaled a 3-0 win (15-3, 15-8, 16-14). Former GVSU stars Kathy Vis and Carly Miller led the team with 18 and 14 kills, respectively.

Here are the other opening round match-ups on Thursday, December 4 (all times are Central Standard time):

#2 Cal State San Bernardino vs. #17 California (PA), 12:00 p.m.

#8 Truman State vs. Nova Southeastern, 2:30 p.m.

#3 Grand Valley State vs. Armstrong Atlantic, 5:00 p.m.

New Haven vs. #1 Concordia-St. Paul, 7:30 p.m.

The winning teams will play on Friday (Dec. 4) at 5:00 and 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals, with the winners of those matches playing for the Division II National Championship at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.