BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University volleyball team's season came to a close at Ferris State University as they bowed out to the second-seeded Bulldogs, 3-0, in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference Quarterfinals.

The Wildcats dropped the first set 25-16 before battling back to two close sets in the second and third. 

FIRST SET
The Wildcats got off to a rocky start in set one, giving up an early 3-0 lead to the Bulldogs before getting on the board. FSU eventually went up 11-3 on the Wildcats before the tides began to turn slightly in favor of NMU.

A kill from Meghan Meyer, an ace from Lizzy Stark and a block by Lauren Van Remortal and Meyer pulled the 'Cats within five of FSU as the two teams then traded a series of points.

NMU found its rhythm again late in the first set, going on a 6-0 run to force FSU to call their timeout but ultimately it was not enough for the Wildcats as they dropped set one, 25-16.

SECOND SET
The second set saw NMU's Jacqueline Smith register a huge kill to get things rolling before a block from Angelina Negron made it 2-0 Wildcats.

FSU tied things up twice early on but it was the Wildcats pulling ahead to maintain the lead each time thereafter, ultimately holding the 10-8 advantage part way through the set.

The Bulldogs struck twice to tie things up at 10-all before grabbing their first lead of the set, one the Wildcats would quickly snag back - going up 12-11.

The 'Cats went on a 4-0 run, causing the Bulldogs to call timeout as NMU led 17-13.

FSU answered with a series of kills of their own as NMU called a timeout, tied 17-17. 

Meyer and Negron each registered kills on the ensuing serves to give NMU the 19-17 lead late but it was not enough as the Wildcats tallied just two more kills in the set, both by Smith, as they fell to the Bulldogs, 25-21, to face a daunting 2-0 score.

THIRD SET
The Wildcats led set three early, jumping out to a 3-1 lead behind Smith's serving but the Bulldogs would score four unanswered before NMU tied it up at 4-4 behind a kill from Lizzy Stark.

Ania Hyatt and Meyer combined to block the next attempt by FSU, taking the 5-4 lead before allowing another 4-0 run by the opposition to find themselves down, 8-5 early in set three.

NMU answered FSU's run with one of their own as Stark, Meyer and Van Remortal combined for four straight kills, while Madeline Crowley tallied an ace, making it 10-8 in favor of the Wildcats.

Despite FSU's best efforts, the Wildcats maintained a steady lead half way through the set, owning a 14-11 advantage behind kills from Smith and Stark.

FSU then drew back within one behind a pair of kills, making it a 14-13 game in NMU's favor before knotting things up at 14-all.

The Bulldog run continued as they extended it to five-straight, forcing NMU to use a timeout to regroup.

A service error got NMU back on the serve, trailing 15-17. 

Hyatt and Stark gave the Wildcats two straight kills to tie things back up at 17-17 before the two teams traded points to eventually make it a 21-21 set.

The Wildcats finally found an edge with an attack error from the Bulldogs to make it 22-21 late in the set and FSU called their timeout before managing to tie it back up at 22-22.

After FSU made it 23-22, Smith made a massive kill to tie things back up at 23-all with their season on the line.

The Bulldogs managed the final two kills as the Wildcats season came to an end, three sets to none.

STATS LEADERS

• The Wildcats registered 36 kills on the evening, led by Stark with 13.
• Smith had eight kills in Wednesday's contest and three assists.
• Crowley, Stark and Caylie Barlage combined for the Wildcats' three aces in the contest while Barlage led the team in digs. 
• The Wildcats picked up 7.0 blocks as Meghan Meyer had a solo block along with four block assists for a team-best.