DETROIT - The Northern Michigan volleyball team returned to GLIAC play on the road, falling at Wayne State in straight sets 21-25, 19-25, and 12-25. 

Northern battled hard for the majority of the first two sets but fell short in each. The Warriors controlled the third to sweep the Wildcats. NMU was out-hit .269 to .070. The Wildcats were on the wrong side of the big runs in this one, as four of the five runs of four or more points went the way of the Warriors. 

Jacqueline Smith reached 10 kills for the Green and Gold, matched by Katie Smith and Kayla Giroux for the opposition. 

The defeat drops the Wildcats to 7-14 overall and 4-6 within the conference. Wayne State improved to 8-13 overall with a 3-7 GLIAC record. 


How it Happened
The first set was a series of back-and-forth action. With the majority of the set being played within two points or less of separation, there was little room for error on either side. NMU held a lead at 14-13, but four of the next five went to WSU, regaining the lead by two. The Warriors didn't relinquish that lead the rest of the set, scoring the final three points for a 25-21 win. On 14 attack attempts, Smith hammered down 7 kills in the opening set.

Northern jumped ahead 6-4 to open set two, but two three-point runs sandwiched by an NMU point led to a Wildcat timeout, trailing 10-7. The Green and Gold hung around, eventually reclaiming the lead at 17-16, but it was shortlived, as the next four went to the home squad, triggering another NMU timeout. Five of the following six also went to the Warriors, as the 'Cats fell short again in the second, 25-19.  

Wayne State matched its largest run of the contest, a six-point stretch, to put the Wildcats in an early 7-1 in the final set. NMU clawed back within one at 9-8, but the Warriors again put together six straight points to lead 15-8. With the match win in sight, WSU finished out in the third winning 25-12. 


Up Next
Northern returns to the court tomorrow, October 21, with a match at Saginaw Valley State slated for 5 p.m.