Box score


November 14, 2010 - Back to back champs!

The Hillsdale College volleyball team capped a perfect GLIAC regular season with the perfect ending to the conference tournament Sunday afternoon. The Chargers won the 2010 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament championship thanks to a thrilling and dramatic 3-2 win over the No. 13-ranked Grand Valley State University Lakers in front of more than 600 fans at Hillsdale's Jesse Philips Arena.

Hillsdale, now 28-1 overall, will likely host the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament, which is scheduled to take place next weekend. The Chargers are ranked ninth in the nation and have won 27 matches in a row.

This was an incredibly well-played match between two talented and tough teams. There were a number of long rallies, with players on both teams flinging themselves all over the court in an attempt to save a point. It was a championship match in every sense of the word.

The Chargers won their second straight title thanks to great play in the clutch, mental toughness and overall resiliency. GVSU held a 9-6 lead in the fifth set, sitting just six points away from the championship. But Hillsdale ended the match on a 9-3 run, buoyed on by a huge and loud home crowd, and some great play at the net.

Freshman Caitlin Kopmeyer, who played well throughout the tournament, had two kills sandwiched around a kill from Ashlee Crowder to quickly tie the score at 9-9. The run continued for four more points, as the Chargers' 7-0 run put them in prime position to win. But the Lakers refused to quit, displaying their considerable skill to tighten the match to 13-12.

But Hillsdale forced two attack errors by the Lakers to end the match, sending some players jumping several feet in the air in joy, others slumped on the ground in blissful exhaustion.

Grand Valley State won the first set 25-22, a set the Chargers led at one time 21-18. The Lakers finished that set on a 7-1 run to pull out in front 1-0.

Hillsdale responded with passion and execution in the next two sets, defeating GVSU 25-20 and 25-13. The third set was a masterpiece by the Chargers from every angle, as the team passed well, spread the offensive wealth around and showed some killer instinct, ending the set with six straight kills or aces.

In set four, the Lakers showed why they have been such a strong contender for a national championship for so long, Their court coverage was flawless, digging up attacks from all sides by Hillsdale, ad responding with strong counterattacks throughout the set. GVSU jumped out to a 10-2 lead in that set, never allowed Hillsdale more than two consecutive points.

Charger junior middle hitter Clara Leutheuser was named the most outstanding player of the tournament, after a terrific match for Hillsdale. She had 13 kills, a .235 attack percentage, one service ace, two solo blocks and four block assists. She had 28 total blocks in Hillsdale's three tournament victories this week.

Crowder, the GLIAC Player of the Year, put together a double-double of 12 kills and 11 digs in a gutsy performance. Senior Amanda Bigney powered in 12 kills, while sophomore middle hitter Lauren Grover had 11 kills, hit .400 and had four block assists. It was one of Grover's best performances of her career, especially given the circumstances of the match, along with Grand Valley's huge front row collection of players.

This match was a defensive clinic on both sides, as both teams made near-impossible plays to keep balls alive throughout the match. Grand Valley State had 110 digs as a team, and four players in the match had 20 or more digs apiece.

Junior Morgan Podkul was named to the All-Tournament Team thanks to a career-high 25 digs vs. the Lakers. Senior Sydney Dow, the GLIAC Libero of the Year, added 23 digs and had some stunning cross-court passes to help counter the Lakers' heavy offense.

Junior Apryl Schmucker, also named to the All-Tournament Team, had three kills, 41 assists and 13 digs.

As a team, Hillsdale limited Grand Valley State to a .147 hitting percentage, including -.021 in the third set. The Chargers only committed three service errors, a big reason why they stayed so competitive throughout the match.

This win marks the first back-to-back GLIAC championships in the history of the Charger volleyball program. It also avenges a loss the Chargers suffered to Grand Valley State in the 2007 GLIAC Tournament championship match.

In the six years since the GLIAC Volleyball Tournament went to campus sites, this is the fifth time the host school has won the tournament. Hillsdale College has hosted the GLIAC Tournament in three of the past five years. Hillsdale has also defeated GVSU in each of the past three meetings between the schools, dating back to the 2009 regular season.