MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan fell to Ohio Dominican in five sets Friday night at Vandament Arena.

After the Wildcats won the first set, 25-23, the Panthers took the net two, 25-22 and 25-23. Northern Michigan rallied in the fourth set, taking a 27-25 extra-point victory, to force the fifth set, which Ohio Dominican won, 15-13.

In the first set, the Panthers opened the set with an 8-6 run. The Wildcats answered with a 4-0 to pull ahead, 10-8, with Kayla Chosa serving. Northern Michigan then won 10 of next 16 points to widen its lead to 20-14. Ohio Dominican would go on a 9-5 run to make things interesting, but the Wildcats took the set on a kill by Madison Whitehead.

The Panthers closed the second set by taking six of the last 10 points. In the third, after being tied at 11 apiece, they used a 9-3 run to pull ahead, 20-14. The Wildcats went on an 8-2 run to tie the set at 22, but the Panthers took three of the last four points.

The Panthers opened the fourth set with a 6-2 run, but the Wildcats won the next four points to tie at 6-6. The teams were tied nine more times with the latest at 25-25.  The Wildcats won the last two points to tie the match at two sets each.

In the fifth set, the Panthers pulled ahead, 8-5, but the Wildcats battled back to tie the set at 12.  Ohio Dominican took three of the last four points to win the match.

Whitehead led the Wildcats with 18 kills while Chosa (12) and Bridget Bussell (11) also hit the double digits.

Rachel Braunschweig (25), Jami Hogeboom (14), Megan Dahl (13) and Autumn Monsma (10) recorded at least 10 digs. Hogeboom also dished out 49 assists.

Northern Michigan returns to action tomorrow, hosting Lake Erie at 4 p.m.