MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Wildcats of the NMU Volleyball team are set to finish off its six-game homestand at Vandament Arena this weekend, welcoming Michigan Tech on Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a match with Roosevelt on Friday, October 11, at 6:30 p.m.

NMU is coming off of a successful weekend with wins against Saginaw Valley and Lake Superior State and enter the weekend at 9-4, 5–1, closely trailed by Michigan Tech at 8-5, 4-2. Thursday's match between the UP rivals will be televised on Fox-UP with Mark Evans and Dave Ellis on the call. The match will be a Green Out for Mental Health Awareness in partnership with Hilinski's Hope. 

NMU will then see the newest addition to the GLIAC, Roosevelt, for the first ever meeting between the two programs. The Lakers of Roosevelt University currently hold a record of 1-13 and are 0-6 in conference play.


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Thursday, October 10 - vs. Michigan Tech at 6:30 p.m. (Green Out for Mental Health Awareness)
Tickets  |  Watch (Fox-UP) |  Listen  |  Live Stats

Friday, October 11 - vs. Roosevelt at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets  |  Watch  |  Listen  |  Live Stats


A Word From Mike Lozier
"Getting a sweep at home was huge for us and we are really proud of Jacqui for breaking a 30-year record…We've had some memorable matchups (with Michigan Tech), and we have to be ready to go. They've never been in our gym and we have to use that to our advantage."



'Cat Nips

• The Wildcats are coming off of a pair of 3-1 weekend wins over Saginaw Valley State and Lake Superior State. Winners of six of the past seven, the Wildcats sit at 5-1 in conference play, just one game back of Ferris State at the top.
• NMU was 2-1 against MTU last season, getting a 3-2 comeback win in the lone home match.
• On Saturday against Lake Superior State, Jacqueline Smith broke the program's all-time kills record, surpassing the previous mark of 1,664 by Andrea Gommans that stood since 1993. 
• Smith has now recorded double-digits kills in 12 of 13 matches this season. Her 27 kills against Truman State marked a career-high and is a single-match high in the GLIAC this season. She is 2nd in the conference with 207 kills this year.
• Smith also reached 1,000 career digs earlier this season, becoming the 18th player in NMU history to hit the milestone. Caylie Barlage will look to become the 19th Wildcat to hit that mark as she currently sits at 921.
• Allie Barlow paces all GLIAC setters with 516 assists, while she is 2nd across the conference landscape with 24 aces.
• Libero Liesl Haugen leads the team and ranks 3rd in the GLIAC with 199 digs.
• Other key components for NMU on both sides of the ball are McKenzie Gruner and Meghan Meyer. The two combined for a total of 38 kills (Meyer with 21 and Gruner with 17) this past weekend. Meyer leads the team in blocks with 25, followed by Gruner, tallying 24 of her own. Meyer's .376 hitting percentage is 4th in the GLIAC and is ranked 3rd in the country. She is closing in on the 1,000 career kills plateau as well, currently sitting at 950.
• 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
Michigan Tech
The 'Cats U.P. rivals currently sit with a 8-5 overall record, and 4-2 in conference play. This will be the first meeting of the season for the two teams; the last meeting between the two ended in a sweep with the Huskies coming out on top in the GLIAC Quarterfinals in Houghton. 

The team is led by Junior Meg Raabe, who has recorded 169 kills, and sophomore Amelia Ambers, logging 138 during the team's 13 matches.

Roosevelt
The newest GLIAC addition is looking for its second win of the season, coming in on a 12-game losing streak, all three-set sweeps. The team's only win of the season came against Malone in a four-set match (3-1).