Story, photo courtesy of NMU Sports Infotmation. Click the AUDIO button to hear RRN's Grace Harlow call the final set, and her interview with Wildcat volleyball Coach Mike Lozier.
MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Volleyball team took on the Michigan Tech Huskies on Halloween Night in the final regular season meeting of the UP schools. In a five-set battle, the Wildcats came back from trailing 2-0 to take the win in front of a ruckus Vandament crowd.
The first two sets were taken swiftly by the Huskies with scores of 18-25 and 12-25, but as set three rolled around, the 'Cats flipped into gear, winning 25-21. Squeaking out a tight set four 25-23, the Green and Gold ran away with the finale, 15-4.
"The second set was about as bad of volleyball as we have played," said Mike Lozier. "But we kept fighting, the crowd got into it, and we realized and played to our potential. [Our team] deserved that celebration in the locker room after the match, and I'm really proud of them.
Jacqueline Smith led the way in kills with 21, tying a season-high. Meghan Meyer added 13 kills while Evynn Layshock contributed 11 to NMU's offense. Lauren Van Remortel totaled 39 assists after entering the match in the second set. Liesl Haugen and Caylie Barlage kept the ball in the air any chance they could with 20 and 17 digs, respectively.
It was just the second time in nearly six years that the two rivals have gone to a decisive fifth set, with the Wildcats taking the prior instance in April of 2021.
"This was the last time as we know Vandament that we play Tech," added Lozier. "It mattered, and the important thing for our girls to understand is this rivalry matters. It's our responsibility to play as hard as we can, we made a choice to start doing that, and we got the result we wanted."
The win moves the Wildcats to 9-16 on the season and 6-8 in the GLIAC, just 1.5 games back of fourth place with four games remaining on the schedule.
Northern took the first two points of the fifth set, as Smith continued with the hot hand with a kills. Negron continued the Green and Gold wave of momentum with a turnaround 90 degree kill, completely missed by the Huskies, leading to a Husky timeout with NMU in front 6-2.
The Vandament continued to help feed electricity into the 'Cats, as Meyer was set up by Caylie Barlage for the kill, leading 8-3 as the teams switched sides. NMU finished out the match with eight of the final nine points, with a Julia Bouma service ace capping of a commanding 15-4 fifth set win, completing the comeback for Northern.
The Wildcats will return to the Vandament Arena for two home games this weekend. Game one will be on Friday, November 3 at 6:30 p.m. against Saginaw Valley State University. Senior Day will take place on Saturday, November 4 at 3:30 p.m. against Ferris State.
Both games will be broadcast live on FM-94.1 The Breeze throughout Marquette County.
MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Volleyball team took on the Michigan Tech Huskies on Halloween Night in the final regular season meeting of the UP schools. In a five-set battle, the Wildcats came back from trailing 2-0 to take the win in front of a ruckus Vandament crowd.
The first two sets were taken swiftly by the Huskies with scores of 18-25 and 12-25, but as set three rolled around, the 'Cats flipped into gear, winning 25-21. Squeaking out a tight set four 25-23, the Green and Gold ran away with the finale, 15-4.
"The second set was about as bad of volleyball as we have played," said Mike Lozier. "But we kept fighting, the crowd got into it, and we realized and played to our potential. [Our team] deserved that celebration in the locker room after the match, and I'm really proud of them.
Jacqueline Smith led the way in kills with 21, tying a season-high. Meghan Meyer added 13 kills while Evynn Layshock contributed 11 to NMU's offense. Lauren Van Remortel totaled 39 assists after entering the match in the second set. Liesl Haugen and Caylie Barlage kept the ball in the air any chance they could with 20 and 17 digs, respectively.
It was just the second time in nearly six years that the two rivals have gone to a decisive fifth set, with the Wildcats taking the prior instance in April of 2021.
"This was the last time as we know Vandament that we play Tech," added Lozier. "It mattered, and the important thing for our girls to understand is this rivalry matters. It's our responsibility to play as hard as we can, we made a choice to start doing that, and we got the result we wanted."
The win moves the Wildcats to 9-16 on the season and 6-8 in the GLIAC, just 1.5 games back of fourth place with four games remaining on the schedule.
Northern took the first two points of the fifth set, as Smith continued with the hot hand with a kills. Negron continued the Green and Gold wave of momentum with a turnaround 90 degree kill, completely missed by the Huskies, leading to a Husky timeout with NMU in front 6-2.
The Vandament continued to help feed electricity into the 'Cats, as Meyer was set up by Caylie Barlage for the kill, leading 8-3 as the teams switched sides. NMU finished out the match with eight of the final nine points, with a Julia Bouma service ace capping of a commanding 15-4 fifth set win, completing the comeback for Northern.
The Wildcats will return to the Vandament Arena for two home games this weekend. Game one will be on Friday, November 3 at 6:30 p.m. against Saginaw Valley State University. Senior Day will take place on Saturday, November 4 at 3:30 p.m. against Ferris State.
Both games will be broadcast live on FM-94.1 The Breeze throughout Marquette County.
