ALLENDALE, Mich. - The NMU Volleyball team took on the Grand Valley State Lakers this afternoon. 

SET ONE

The Lakers claimed the first four points of the set. A kill and two aces by Jacqueline Smith allowed the 'Cats to tie it up at four. 

Rayne Thompson grabbed the lead for the 'Cats and they went on to gain three more points. The score was now 8-5.

Moments later, the 'Cats went on a five-point run to double the score over the Lakers, 12-6.

Lizzy Stark found an open spot on the court to place a kill and Rayne Thompson followed. The score was now 17-12.

Grand Valley State tried to make a comeback and tied the score at 19. An attack error by GVSU gave NMU the one up. 

The 'Cats pushed through and took set one 25-23.

SET TWO

Jacqueline Smith opened up the scoring for the 'Cats, but the Lakers quickly tied it up.

Grand Valley State pulled through to take the lead 2-3. An attack error on the Lakers made the score even once again.

Thanks to Lizzy Stark, the 'Cats took the lead.

A major block by Rayne Thompson and Meghan Meyer brought the score to 7-3. 

A few rallies later, Meghan Meyer and Lizzy Stark earned points for the team. 

At a score of 9-6, Meghan Meyer and Lauren Van Remortel shut the ball down to tally another point. 

The ball went back and forth for a few more plays. Rayne Thompson posted her fifth kill on the campaign to widen the lead to 15-12. Caylie Barlage quickly followed with an ace. 

Smith and Meyer closed out the second set, 25-19.

SET THREE

Olivia Webber started the third set with a point. A ball-handling error by the Lakers gave the team another. 

Moments later, Webber tallied another kill on the court. The score was now 3-1. Smith quickly followed adding another. 

Grand Valley State tried to make a comeback, but Meyer shut it down tallying one. 

The Lakers had a block to tie the match at seven. They took the lead but crumbled with a ball-handling error. It was now a tie match at eight. 

A block by Stark and Webber widened the gap to 11-9. 

The Lakers retaliated and tied at 12, but Thompson had other ideas. The 'Cats took the lead 13-12.

A service error gave the 'Cats the ball and Meyer served up an ace. 

The Lakers took the lead, which forced NMU to take a timeout at a score of 16-19.

Lauren Van Remortel stopped their streak tipping it over the net. 

The 'Cats tried to secure the match in the third, but the Lakers took it 19-25.

SET FOUR

A major block by Smith and Webber opened up the fourth for the 'Cats.

NMU climbed the board earning three. The score was now 4-1. 

Lizzy Stark tallied two kills from Lauren Van Remortel to bring the score to 6-2.

Another block by Van Remortel and Meyer pushed the score to 9-6. 

Grand Valley State made a comeback to tie at 11. They then went on to climb the score to 11-16. A kill by Webber stopped them in their tracks.

NMU called a timeout at 12-18, and the Lakers climbed to 12-21. 

Stark killed a point to make it 13-21.

Van Remortel and Meyer tallied a block, but it was not enough. The Lakers took the fourth 14-25.

SET FIVE

The Lakers opened up the fifth with momentum and scored the first three points. 

Smith and Stark found open spots on the court to bring the score to 2-3.

A service error on the Lakers gave the ball back to the 'Cats and Stark blocked the return to take the lead, 5-4. 

Moments later, Thompson tallied another kill on the night to bring the score to 6-5. 

With the teams switching sides at a tie of eight, Smith came down and smashed two on the court. The 'Cats took the lead. 

Jacqueline Smith snagged the team an ace to earn the 12th point. 

The points climbed and an error by the Lakers secured the win for the Wildcats.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stark posted 15 kills on the night.

Smith and Barlage both had three aces.

Meghan Meyer tallied seven blocks.

UP NEXT

The 'Cats will head to Houghton, Mich. to face longtime rival, Michigan Technological University. The game will be on Oct. 25, 2022, at 6 p.m.