ROCHESTER, Mich. - One day after the program's Black & Gold Scrimmage, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies volleyball team defeated the Grand Valley State Lakers, 3-1, in an exhibition match on Saturday, August 19 at the OU Credit Union O'rena.
Oakland won the day's first set, 25-23, but the Lakers, who belong to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) at the NCAA Division II level, responded by taking the second, 25-16.
The Golden Grizzlies won the third set by the same score the second ended in and Oakland also took the fourth, 25-22, holding off a late Grand Valley rally.
Standout junior libero Emily Wichmann tallied a match-high 23 digs, while setters Rachel Rossman and Sarah Turner, a sophomore and graduate student, respectively, combined to record 44 assists and senior outside hitter Patti Cesarini led all players with 14 kills.
Senior Rachel Jacquay paced the Lakers with 25 assists and junior Jordyn Gates, an Arkansas Razorbacks transfer, racked up 20 assists, 11 digs and five kills.
With this exhibition contest now in the books, the Golden Grizzlies will officially begin their 2023 season in the Chicago Classic on Friday, August 25 against the Ohio Valley Conference's (OVC) Lindenwood Lions at 11 a.m. at Credit Union 1 Arena.
Grand Valley will begin their campaign the following Friday, September 1, in the Florida Southern Invitational against the Washburn Ichabods at 1 p.m. in Lakeland.
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