Box Score

Slow starts in sets one and two helped doom the Hillsdale College volleyball team against the GLIAC's highest nationally ranked team Friday night.

The Chargers dug holes to the tune of 20-6 in set one and 11-2 in set two against the 12th-ranked Grand Valley State University Lakers, in a 3-0 loss at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. Hillsdale College is now 7-7 overall and 6-4 in the GLIAC, while GVSU improves to 10-0 in conference play with the sweep. It was the first loss at home this season for the Chargers.

Diiging huge early deficits against a team as experienced and polished as the Lakers is not a formula for success, though the Chargers did a good job of adjusting, and made each set much more competitive as it went on. Hillsdale had a 13-4 run in the first set to tighten up the score, and trimmed a nine-point deficit to five at one point before losing 25-16.

Set three was evenly played throughout, with the Lakers eventually coming out on top, 25-22.

Junior Emily Wolfert (pictured) led the Charger offense with 9 kills, and threw in 5 digs and 2 service aces in the loss. Junior Jordan Denmark added 6 kills, 9 digs and 2 aces in a strong all-around performance, while junior Marissa Owen had 21 assists and 7 digs for the Chargers.

Hillsdale will host defending Midwest Regional champion Ferris State at 2 p.m. Saturday.