This Saturday we kick off the second half of our 2021-2022 season in Allendale, Michigan, with the Grand Valley Gauntlet VIII. The teams in attendance are: the Grand Valley State University (GVSU), Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), and Michigan State University (MSU). It is exciting to get back on the courts again and I can’t wait to see the results. Let’s take a look at the schedule for tomorrow’s event below.
| Time | Team 1 | Team 2 | Referee |
| 10:30a.m. | GVSU | SVSU | MSU |
| 11:45a.m. | GVSU | MSU | SVSU |
| 1:00p.m. | GVSU | SVSU | MSU |
| 2:15p.m. | SVSU | MSU | GVSU |
GVSU comes in with a 5-1 record to start this semester which currently has them sitting at number two in the standings. MSU comes in with a 4-2 record record to start and they are currently sitting at number six in the standings. SVSU comes in with a 2-4 record, which has them sitting at number twenty on the year. The last time these teams meant up was at the Cardinal Invitational and I expect to see a lot different results this time around. Let’s take a closer look at each team!
Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU)- When SVSU last played these teams, they ended in 4-2 losses. As are many teams in the league, SVSU is still very young and was still getting the hang of things. I think this time around the experience their players picked up should help them play GVSU and MSU at a much higher level and make for even closer games. The objective for SVSU at this event is to remind everyone that they shouldn’t be taken lightly and that they are still a school in Michigan that other teams need to watch out for.
Grand Valley State (GVSU)- As I had stated earlier, GVSU comes in at 5-1 on the year with their only loss at the hands of Michigan State University. In that match, they loss 5-2 to the Spartans, which is the worse loss that they have experienced in a very long time. At the Gauntlet, the Lakers will look to get that taste out of their mouth and play dodgeball like everyone in the league is used to seeing from them. Their goal is to come out of the day and once again show that they are the favorites when it comes to the Michigan Dodgeball Cup (MDC) and national title contenders.
Michigan State university (MSU)- MSU ended last semester on a tough note going 1-2 on the day at the Cincinnati Super Smackdown. I’m sure they are ready to get back to it and get a few more in the W column. This is MSU’s chance to put themselves at the top of the Michigan region that has been held by GVSU for many years. If they can get the win, it will show that their first win against the Lakers was not a fluke and they should be one of the favorites at the MDC and for the national title.
This tournament has the makings for some really exciting, fun, and close matches that will tell us a lot about each team. Every team has something to prove and each team will surely give it their all to come out on top at the Grand Valley Gauntlet. Grand Valley plans to stream the games tomorrow so be on the look out for the link if you need an excuse to watch dodgeball. The spring dodgeball semester is here so let’s get pumped and good luck to all the teams this semester!