MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan volleyball team took on Grand Valley State on Saturday in the Homecoming match, falling in four sets 21-25, 25-23, 11-25, and 11-25.
Meghan Meyer paced the 'Cats with nine kills. NMU again struggled hitting, recording just a .083 attack percentage to GV's .294.
The Lakers also commanded a sizeable gap in digs, 75-47.
How it Happened
The intensity was high on each side of the court right from first serve, with both sides throwing counterpunches at one another. Just as one team would put together consecutive points, the other side would have an answer. The first three-point run came from Grand Valley approaching the middle of the first set, as they held a slight 11-9 edge on NMU. Soon later, GVSU rattled off five straight, pushing NMU to a 16-11 deficit.
Despite a contested start to the matchup, Grand Valley pushed through for a 25-21 victory in the opening set.
The visitors began the second set with five of the first six points, leading to an early timeout from the Wildcat sideline. It proved a good break for NMU, as they close the gap to a single point at 7-6.
Northern Michigan was able to keep the deficit within 2-4 points throughout most of the second, but a late-set surge from the Gold made it even at 20-20. The 'Cats, backed by a ruckus contingent nestled in the Vandament bleachers, powered through to edge GVSU in set two, 25-23.
The third set mirrored the two before it, with the Lakers buidling up an advantage. NMU opted for the first timeout of the set, trailing 12-7. This time, the Wildcats were unable to close the gap out of the break, with GV adding four more points before a second Wildcat timeout, trailing 16-7.
The Lakers finished set three off with ease, 25-11.
Once again in the fourth, NMU found themselves in an early hole, this time trailing 5-2. That gap would widen as the set progressed, as GVSU had NMU doubled-up, 12-6 at the set's half.
The point-streak for the Lakers would halt at seven, with the gap widened to 17-6. From there, Grand Valley closed out the contest with a 25- set win.
Up Next
The Wildcats will hit the road for three straight, starting with a late 8 p.m. ET matchup with the Purdue Northwest Pride on Friday, September 22.
