MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan volleyball team will host another set of conference opponents at home this weekend: Saginaw Valley State University and Lake Superior State University. 

NMU is coming off of a split last weekend in the team's first set of home GLIAC matches. This week, the matches will take place on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against SVSU and on Saturday at 4 p.m. against LSSU. 

The 'Cats currently hold an overall record of 7-4, and are 3-1 in conference play. The team is also holding a 2-1 home record, heading into the third week of play in the new Vandament Arena. 

Follow the Action:
Follow @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.

Friday, October 4 - vs. Saginaw Valley State at 6:30 p.m. 
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Saturday, October 5 - vs. Lake Superior State at 4 p.m.
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A Word from Mike Lozier
"I think this team is capable of being really, really good. This is the most motivated I've been to be in practice in 3 or 4 years, and that's talking about a team that has won the GLIAC Championship and a team that's been to the NCAA Tournament. I think this team has a chance to do something really good."



'Cat Nips

• Senior Jacqueline Smith, the four-time All-GLIAC honoree, continues to be a key player for the NMU offense. Smith is currently leading all of Division II active players in total attacks with 4,693. She sits at 1,640 career kills, just 24 back of Andrea Gommans' 1,664. Her 27 kills against Truman State marked a career-high and is a single-match high in the GLIAC this season . 
• Other key factors for the Wildcat's attacking force have been Meghan Meyer and Kaysie Bakke. Bakke scored a total of 17 kills during the two matches this past weekend, and Meyer put up 14 kills of her own. Meyer, the four-year GLIAC honoree, added to the defensive side of the ball leading the team in blocks in the past four matches. 
• Allie Barlow, the sophomore setter, recorded a total of 82 assists in the team's previous weekend at home. She also tallied nine kills on the weekend and 11 digs against top-ranked Ferris State.
• Other big contributors on the defensive end that the 'Cats will continue to look to are Liesl Haugen and Caylie Barlage. Haugen recorded 36 digs during the two matches over the past weekend, and the two led the team in digs during the match against Davenport: Haugen with 20 and Barlage with 13.
• NMU's 25-6 win in set two against Davenport last weekend was the biggest set win during Mike Lozier's NMU tenure, and tied for the biggest individual set win in the last 12 years (25-5 set vs. Lake Superior State in 2012). 

Notes On the Opponents

Saginaw Valley State
The Cardinals of Saginaw Valley State currently hold a 3-9 overall record and are 0-3 during away games. The team was picked to finish 10th out of 11 in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, and is currently holding the number nine spot. The team is averaging 11.43 kills per set with a .150% hitting average, and 1.88 blocks per set. 

During the two teams last meeting, the Wildcats prevailed with three-set wins over SVSU. 

Lake Superior State
The Lake Superior State Lakers, currently ranked seventh in the GLIAC, will take on the current No. 3 GLIAC-ranked Wildcats. The Lakers have played four conference matches, similar to the 'Cats, and the team is 2-2 in those matches, but 5-7 overall. The team has logged 416 kills (11.2 per set). 

In the most recent matchup in the 2023 season, the Lakers fell to the Wildcats in four sets.