HOUGHTON, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Wildcat volleyball team fought hard with a close first set and stayed competitive the whole way, including leading in blocks, in a 3-0 decision to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foe Michigan Technological University in Houghton. 

SET ONE

NMU pulled out to an early 4-1 set one lead thanks to a Jacqueline Smith kill, back-to-back Ania Hyatt blocks, and an Angelina Negron kill.

The opposition pulled even at 9-8 but the 'Cats used a service error from the Huskies and Lauren Van Remortel assisted Smith kill to go back up.

There were 10 more ties from that point on in the set in what ended up being a tense match. 

The final tie came at 25-25 thanks to a Meghan Meyer kill, but it was the home team who took the frame 27-25.

SET TWO

The Wildcats tied things up early twice in the second set thanks to kills from Smith and Negron, but the team struggle to put any runs together.

The second set went to the receiving votes Michigan Tech squad by a score of 25-13.

SET THREE

In the third set, it was a nailbiter in the beginning.

The teams traded ties nine times in the early parts of the set with both unable to start a scoring run.

It was the Huskies who finally broke the streak of ties at 10-9, but the NMU continued to play close and only found the Wildcats down two at 16-14 after a kill and service ace from Lizzy Stark.

MTU pulled ahead again but another two-point burst with a Negron kill and block assists from Smith and Hyatt kept NMU within three at 20-17.

In the end, it was the Huskies who took the 25-18 set win and the match.

STAT LEADERS

Jacqueline Smith led the Wildcats in kills with 11 while also adding seven digs and one block assist. Lizzy Stark was next on the team with eight total kills and six digs as well as a service ace.

Ania Hyatt had a block party with four solo shots batted down which was a career-high. As a team, the Wildcats had five solo blocks while holding the Huskies to zero. Negron contributed the other solo block for NMU.

The Wildcat team also had four block assists in the contest.

Caylie Barlage led the team in digs with nine.

UP NEXT

NMU volleyball travels to the Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover in Hammond, Ind. next weekend. Matches will take place Friday and Saturday with matchups yet to be determined.