FERRIS STATE CLAIMS FIRST-EVER GLIAC TOURNAMENT TITLE
Bulldogs Garner League's Automatic NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Bid
The Ferris State women's volleyball team claimed the 2004 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament Championship with a 3-0 shutout over archrival Grand Valley State Sunday (Nov. 14) at GVSU's Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Mich.
The Bulldogs, who are ranked 20th in the latest (Nov. 9) CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II National Poll, knocked off the 14th-ranked Lakers for the second time this campaign with a convincing 30-27, 30-24 and 30-16 triumph in front of 625 fans. The tournament championship was the first for the Bulldogs in the league's 10th annual postseason event.
Ferris, which had previously claimed tournament runner-up accolades on three different occasions, received the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament which will be held Friday-Sunday, Nov. 19-21, at GVSU. The Bulldogs will face seventh-seeded Southern Indiana in Friday's (Nov. 19) quarterfinal round at 2:30 p.m. (EST).
The Bulldogs, who improved to 25-6 overall this campaign, won their 12th contest in the last 13 tries by compiling 52 kills and allowing only 33 Laker kills. FSU hit .266 for the match compared to GVSU's .085 showing. In addition, the Bulldogs held a 59-46 advantage in digs and a 7-5 edge in blocks.
Sophomore outside hitter Danielle Baucher led the Bulldogs with 17 kills and 15 digs. Senior outside hitter Karla Fairbanks totaled 11 kills and 14 digs for FSU while sophomore middle hitter Karla White netted 10 kills. Senior setter Ashley Green registered 44 assists along with eight digs for the Bulldogs.
GVSU was paced by Tina Tromblay's eight kills and 10 digs. FSU posted seven service aces and 11 errors while GVSU recorded two aces and eight errors.
Junior middle hitter Lauren Heine and Fairbanks were named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team while Green was chosen as the all-tournament team most valuable player.
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