GLIAC Volleyball Weekly Release #13

Click here for printer-friendly (PDF) version of release

BAY CITY, Mich. - The 2009 GLIAC volleyball season concluded this past weekend at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region tournament. Five GLIAC student-athletes were named to the all-tournament team: Ferris State University middle hitter Arielle Goodson, Hillsdale College middle hitter Clara Leutheuser and outside hitter Ashlee Crowder, and Saginaw Valley State University setter Kait Harris and middle hitter Jaclyn Carnago.

-----GLIAC Volleyball Weekly Notes-----

Ferris State Bulldogs (19-12, 10-6 GLIAC)

Senior middle hitter Kristy Gilchrist (Macomb/Anchor Bay) concluded her career ranking among the program’s all-time leaders in several statistical categories. Gilchrist is listed 14th in both block assists (292) and total blocks (337) while ranking 15th in kills (1,114), 19th in block solos (45), and is tied for 25th in service aces (104). The three-time (2007-09) All-GLIAC honoree produced a .242 career hitting percentage while averaging 2.51 kills per set in 120 matches. Arielle Goodson finished this campaign with double-figure kills in 25 contests this season, which included a season-ending 20-match streak (9/11-11/19). Goodson averaged 3.41 kills per set (276 total kills) and hit for a .270 percentage in those 20 outings.Senior middle hitter Sarah Lark (Alma) compiled career season highs this campaign in kills (209), kills per set (1.79), hitting percentage (.218), total blocks (82), and block assists (74) in 31 contests this campaign. Lark ended her career just 10 kills away from reaching the 500-kills plateau with 490 kills in 107 matches.

Grand Valley State Lakers (16-13, 11-5 GLIAC)

GVSU’s season ended at the Midwest Regional Tournament on Thursday with a four-set loss to Saginaw Valley State. It was the sixth time in the past two years that the Lakers and Cardinals met on the court, with Grand Valley State winning four of the six contests. The Lakers are now 21-4 all-time in regional tournament play and advanced to the postseason for the 10th straight year and 11th time overall in program history. Senior Whitney Tremain (Kentwood, Mich./East Michigan) had a very productive two years at GVSU. The 2008 Midwest Regional Tournament most valuable player recorded 559 kills, 255 digs, and 146 blocks in her two-year stint as a Laker, earning her All-GLIAC Second Team honors. Junior Rebeccah Rapin (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) ranks seventh all-time in GVSU history in block assists (323), eighth in hitting percentage (.307), and ninth in total blocks (385). She has recorded three straight 300+ kill seasons and has 984 for her career with one season left.

Hillsdale Chargers (24-8, 12-4 GLIAC)

The 2009 Hillsdale College volleyball season came to an end Friday night in a 3-2 loss to #9 Indianapolis in the Midwest Regional Semifinals. It was tied for the deepest postseason run ever made by the program, joining the 2006 team that went 29-2 and also advanced to the regional semifinals. Sophomores Ashlee Crowder and Clara Leutheuser were each named to the All-Regional Tournament Team. Crowder had more digs (18) than kills (17) in Thursday’s first-round 3-2 win over Northern Michigan. The team’s 24 wins are the third-most in school history, behind 2006 and 2007 (26). Hillsdale defeated every team in the GLIAC either in the regular season or the postseason. No seniors played during Hillsdale’s regional semifinal match vs. the Greyhounds. It was the second time in three years Hillsdale was eliminated from the postseason by Indianapolis. Head coach Chris Gravel is just 20 wins away from 300 for his career. Crowder’s 491 kills this season are third-most in a single season in school history.

Michigan Tech. Huskies (14-15, 10-6 GLIAC)

Michigan Tech (14-15) had its season come to an end with a 3-0 loss at Indianapolis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This is the second straight season that the Huskies have qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Five players played their final match for Tech; Veronica Armstrong, Alison Greene, Amanda Vogt, Lyndsey Dixon and Kaari Nevanen. Season leaders include: kills, Kristine Sexton; assists, Madeline Haben; blocks, Lindsey Sathre; service aces and digs; Kaari Nevanen.

Northern Michigan Wildcats (19-12, 11-5 GLIAC)

Northern Michigan University ended its volleyball season with a loss to Hillsdale at the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament. It was the second year in a row NMU was eliminated in the first round. Mandie Meyer led the Wildcats against the Chargers with 21 kills, she ended the season with a team-high 403 kills.Cassie Osiecki ended her NMU career with 28 digs against the Chargers as she is now the all-time digs leader in NMU history with 1,856 digs. Amy Andersen-Goldsworthy led the ‘Cats at the net with 68 total blocks (14 solo and 54 assisted). Katt Garvick finished out the season with a team-high 63 service aces. Two players ended the 2009 season with over 500 assists, Abby Lovell had a team-high 596 assists while Maddie Ogden had 550.

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals (22-10, 12-4 GLIAC)

The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team extended its season into the 2009 Midwest Regional Tournament Semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Grand Valley State University on Thursday (11/19) before dropping a 3-0 decision to Lewis University in the semifinal match. The Cardinals finished the 2009 campaign with a 22-10 record, including winning a share of the program’s first-ever GLIAC Championship, as SVSU won the North Division outright and shared the overall title with South Division champ Hillsdale College. The season marked the second time the Cardinals have competed in the NCAA postseason, as they finished runner-up in last year’s regional tournament.