HOUGHTON, Mich. - The Wildcats of Northern Michigan University volleyball finished their stay at the Keweenaw Classic with a 3-0 loss against No. 7 University of Minnesota-Duluth.

SET ONE

An 11-3 Bulldogs' run to open the first set saw the Wildcats go down early.

NMU put together a 5-1 run of their own to pull themselves back into the game. Lizzy Stark started the run with an Abby Fortune assisted kill. Ania Hyatt added a kill to the run as well as Jacqueline Smith. A Smith and Hyatt block also contributed a point to the streak.

The Bulldogs pulled away again taking a 21-9 lead late in the set.

A valiant effort from the NMU team pulled the Wildcats within 24-14, but Minnesota-Duluth took home the opening frame win 25-14.

SET TWO

NMU struck first in set two with a Smith kill from Caylie Barlage opening up the scoring.

In the early going, the teams tied each other three times before the Bulldogs were able to take the lead at 6-5.

The Wildcats got the score knotted up again at 11-11 with a Julia Bouma assisted kill from Meghan Meyer. NMU then took the lead on a Barlage service ace.

Minnesota-Duluth took the lead again after that point and held it the rest of the way en route to a 25-21 set victory.

SET THREE

An error by the opposition put the Wildcats on the scoreboard first in the third frame before a 6-0 run by the Bulldogs saw the 'Cats trailing.

A Stark kill assisted by Barlage pulled NMU within five at 10-5, but the Wildcats were unable to pull out a win.

No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth took the match by virtue of a 25-10 set three win.

STAT LEADERS

Smith led NMU in kills with seven in the final Keweenaw Classic match for the Wildcats. 

Hyatt, Angelina Negron, and Meyer led on defense with each tallying three block assists. Three total blocks made Hyatt the top in that category for NMU.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats continue early-season tournament play next week in Indianapolis, Ind. at the UIndy Invitational. Day one, Friday, Sept. 10, sees NMU take on Ashland University at 9 a.m. and Winona State University at 7 p.m.