GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball program (5-10, 2-5 GLIAC) narrowly fell on the road to the Davenport Panthers (5-11, 3-5 GLIAC) in a tightly contested 5-set match on Friday. 

The Panthers were able to take control in the opening set and not look back, taking the early 1-0 advantage despite back-to-back kills from Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) as the Lakers tried to rally late. 

Davenport carried their momentum into the second set for an early lead, but LSSU fought back with runs of 4-0 and 8-0 to put themselves in front behind multiple kills from Deming and service aces from Vanessa Swerdon (Toronto, Ont.). Both teams would then go back and forth for the remainder of the set, but Jade Peterson (Plymouth, Minn.) and Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) teamed up for a block to help push the Lakers over the edge, claiming the set by a margin of 26-24 and tying up the match at 1-1.

The Lakers would find themselves trailing by as many as six points early in the third set, but they battled their way back with an emphatic 13-1 scoring run that featured multiple kills from Velasque and Valeriya Varnakova (Ufa, Russia). LSSU pushed ahead to a 24-19 lead, but the Panthers kept fighting, closing the gap with a late rally. However, Varnakova halted them in their tracks, putting the set away with a kill to give her team a 2-1 advantage in the match.

Both teams battled early in the fourth set on their way to a 13-13 stalemate, but the Panthers were able to pull ahead with multiple scoring runs to take the set 25-18 and force a decisive fifth and final set.

Both teams traded points to start the set, but Davenport was able to give themselves some breathing room with a 4-0 run. The Lakers were able to trim the lead down to two with blocks from Deming and Shea Berisoff (Kelowna, B.C.), but it ultimately would not be enough as the Panthers managed to close out the set and the match by respective scores of 15-10 and 3-2. 

Deming and Velasque each finished with double-digit kills with Deming also contributing a team-leading eight blocks and three service aces. Meanwhile, Avery Headworth (Grand Rapids, Mich.) led her team in assists with 22 while also recording 8 digs, and libero Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) posted a game-high 20 digs on the night.

The Lakers will now turn their attention to a battle with the No. 4 ranked Ferris State Bulldogs on Saturday, Oct. 12 with the first serve scheduled for 3 p.m.