SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. -- The No. 24 Northern Michigan University volleyball team are winners of eight-straight matches after defeating Lake Superior State University 3-0 Friday in the first of two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC) matches this weekend.

A bad set from the Lakers opened the match followed by the Wildcats earning back-to-back kills. Two attacking errors from LSSU and a Jacqueline Smith kill increased the NMU lead to 7-0.

The Lakers cut the Wildcat margin to six when an LSSU kill made the score 20-14. Both teams exchanged points until the Lakers pulled closer at 21-17 due to an NMU attack error.

Angelina Negron delivered the set-winning kill for the Wildcats in the 25-20 first set victory.

Set two was close in the early going. After being tied 3-3, NMU scored four more consecutive points which included two Lauren Van Remortel service aces, and a Lizzy Stark kill. 

The Wildcats continued to pull away when, after a Lakers' attack error, two Madeline Crowley service aces and kills from Van Remortel and Stark made the score 19-11 in favor of NMU.

For the Lakers, the Wildcats' offense was too much and they could not catch up in the second set. NMU nabbed a 25-18 win going into the third set. 

It was an even battle for the Lakers and the Wildcats in the third set. There were three ties in the early going with the teams being even at 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5. 

An LSSU service error began a 7-0 NMU scoring run. The run featured a kill each from Ania Hyatt and Lauren Caprini and two from Smith. Caprini also had a service ace in the run that brought the score to 12-5.

Another Wildcats' 7-0 run later in the set pushed their lead even higher to 23-11. The Lakers were able to notch a couple more points, but ultimately a service error from LSSU clinched the final set 25-13 for a 3-0 NMU sweep. 

Stark led the Wildcat team with 19 kills. Leading in hitting percentage, among players with at least five attempts, was Meghan Meyer's mark of .500. Meyer had eight kills and also contributed the team's only block.

Crowley was excellent when it was her time to serve. The sophomore had four service aces in the match. She was not alone in serving well as Van Remortel and Smith also had three service aces each.

Alli Yacko led NMU in digs with 14. 

The Wildcats face Lake Superior State again tomorrow to complete the two-match series. Action from Sault Ste. Marie begins at 1 p.m.