MARQUETTE, Mich. - After sweeping rival Michigan Tech in Houghton earlier this week, the Northern Michigan University Volleyball team broke out the brooms on a UP-opponent once again, sweeping the Lake Superior State University Lakers in straight sets 25-19, 25-21, 29-27. 

The win marks for the fourth straight for the Green and Gold over the Lake Superior State. With the victory, the 'Cats now hold a 3-4 GLIAC record, jumping LSSU (2-4) in the conference standings. NMU sits at 4-11 overall. 

Senior setter Lauren Van Remortel shined with 44 assists, a GLIAC season-high for a three-set match. It was a balanced attack for Northern, with Rayne Thompson and Jacqueline Smith each notching 13 kills and Evynn Layshock recording 10 herself as they played a big part in NMU's season-best .285 attack percentage. Liesl Haugen dominated the back row with 23 digs, her second-best output this season.  

"After last night I am so proud of this team coming back today and getting a 3-set sweep," said head coach Mike Lozier following the match. "We need to continue to get better, but we are going to enjoy this victory." 

How it Happened

After being tied 3-3 early on, a Rayne Thompson spike kickstarted a four-point swing for Northern, with Caylie Barlage at the service line adding an ace in the mix. 

Up 10-9 nearing midset, the 'Cats rattled off six of seven points with kills from Smith, Thompson, and Mackenzie Gruner to leap ahead 16-10. A pair of kills from Thompson put the finishing touches on a 25-19 set one win for the Green and Gold. 

The start of the second mirrored the end of the first, with Thompson slamming the ball into the open court. Smith would follow with an ace to jumpstart the set for NMU. 

The Lakers countered with a four-point run to go ahead 7-4. Two Smith kills ended a three-point answer for Northern to even the score. It didn't end there for the All-America honorable mention, as she added two more kills on NMU's next two points to keep up with LSSU's attack. 

Trailing 15-13 in the second, NMU's big run of five straight flipped the script. It was once again Smith with a pair of kills within the run to get NMU in front 18-15. After some back and forth, a bad set for the Lakers secured a set two win, 25-21. It was a dominant set for Smith with seven kills. 

After an LSSU point to start the final set, the Wildcats entered domination mode, putting up five points in a row, all received by back-row hitter Jacqueline Smith and set from Lauren Van Remortel. Northern showed no sign of letting up, capitalizing on any mistake by the Lakers. Jaqueline Smith and Evynn Layshock laid down picture-perfect kills that the Lakers could not receive. The Wildcats led 11-4 halfway through the set. 

The pace of the game then picked up, as the Lakers managed five straight to pull within two. Once they evened the score at 19, it was blow-for-blow down the stretch. The Lakers faced setpoint three times, but NMU had an answer for each. 

Trailing 27-26, a kill from Meghan Meyer, an ace from Lauren Cardwell, and an attack error from LSSU secured the 29-27 set victory and sweep for the 'Cats. 


Up Next
The Wildcats will play another weekend of two home games. The first will be on Friday, October 6 against Parkside at 6:30 p.m. At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 7, Purdue Northwest will be in town to wrap up the weekend.