NKU finished with a 20-14 record after dropping a three-set decision to GVSU.
Box score
HILLSDALE, Mich. – Rebeccah Rapin recorded 16 kills and attacked at a .500 clip as Grand Valley State eliminated Northern Kentucky University from the NCAA Division II Tournament on Friday with a three-set victory against the Norse.
Rapin added seven blocks for No. 2 seed Grand Valley State, which posted a 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 win against No. 7 seed NKU in the first round of the Midwest Regional. The Lakers (24-6) finished with 11 team blocks and advanced to the semifinals against No. 3 seed Lewis, which posted a three-set win against Missouri-St. Louis in the first round.
Shelby Buschur collected 11 kills for NKU, which finished the season with a 20-14 record.
Katie Sommer added six kills and hit .455, while teammate
Gennie Galfano finished with seven kills.
Kylee Tarantino led the Norse defense with 16 digs.
NKU owned a 24-22 lead in the second set after a kill by Buschur and appeared on its way to tying the match at 1-all, but Grand Valley State scored the final four points of the stanza to go up 2-0. Stacey Catalano and Rapin combined to block an attack by Buschur to give the Lakers a 26-24 win in the second set.
NKU built a 21-19 lead in the third set after consecutive kills from Buschur and
Jenna Schreiver, but Grand Valley State scored the next three points to take a 22-21 advantage. With the set later tied at 23-all, Krysta Kornack converted an attack to give the Lakers a 24-23 edge, and Grand Valley State wrapped up the victory when Kornack and Eno Umoh blocked a Galfano attack for match point.
NKU junior outside hitter
Noelle Peterson finished with four kills and now has 973 in her career.
Sarah Drennen added 12 digs for the Norse.
Kornack finished with 10 kills as Grand Valley State defeated NKU for the sixth consecutive time. The Lakers hold a 22-4 lead in the all-time series against the Norse.
Grand Valley State also eliminated NKU from the NCAA Tournament in 2000, '01 and '03.
