Boxscore

Midland, Mich. -- The Wayne State University volleyball team (18-13 overall) had its 2012 season come to a close Saturday evening as the Warriors dropped a 3-1 decision to Grand Valley (25-6 overall) in a GLIAC semifinal match held at Northwood University's Bennett Center.

Four weeks ago in Detroit, the Lakers prevailed 3-0 over WSU winning by a combined 76-59 score.  Tonight's match was much closer through the first three sets as GVSU won the first set 27-25 before the Warriors evened the contest with a 25-22 victory in set No. 2.  The Lakers rallied for a 27-25 win in the third set and closed out the match with a 25-11 victory in the fourth set.

The first set was tied six times in the first 16 points, before Wayne State grabbed its largest lead at 15-11.  A kill by senior setter Cydney Biessel (Ruby, Mich. / Yale) ended a string of seven consecutive Grand Valley points.  After trailing 22-18, the Warriors tallied seven of the next nine points to take a 25-24 lead on block assists by Essence Jackson-Jones (Muskegon, Mich.) and Kristen Bulkiewicz (LaSalle, Ont. / Sandwich).  Back-to-back kills by GVSU and an attack error by WSU gave the Lakers the 27-25 win.

After a pair of ties early in set No. 2, the Warriors had a 7-3 advantage and extended it to seven points on three occasions (last being 14-7) before GVSU scored the next four points to make it 14-11.  WSU's lead remained at least four points (23-19) prior to the Lakers pulling within two (23-21) but Jackson-Jones and Bulkiewicz combined on a block and Bulkiewicz completed the set with a kill.

The third set was back-and-forth with 13 ties in the first 30 points.  After trailing 17-15, Wayne State responded with six consecutive points to go up 21-17.  Grand Valley scored five of the next eight points making the score 24-22 WSU.  The Lakers won the set by earning five of the last six points for a 27-25 triumph.

The Warriors led 2-0 and 3-2 in the fourth set before GVSU scored five consecutive points to take a 7-3 lead.  Wayne State pulled within three at 8-5 but never got closer than four points (10-6 and 11-7) the rest of the way.

Bulkiewicz had a triple-double with 18 kills, 16 digs and 10 block assists totaling 26 points.  Senior Madie Kent (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) contributed 12 kills and 17 digs, while senior libero Lindsey Graciak (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) garnered 26 digs.  Biessel recorded 40 assists, seven digs and two kills.

GVSU's Betsy Ronda had a match-best 22 kills, while finishing second on her squad with 21 digs behind the 28 from Christina Canepa.

This was the final collegiate match for WSU seniors Biessel, Graciak, and Kent, along with injured seniors Katarzyna Sak (Warren, Mich. / Cousino) and Julie Sanders (Roseville, Mich. / Fraser).