MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Wildcat volleyball team faced off against undefeated No. 7 Ferris State in Vandament Arena on Saturday afternoon. Northern put up a good fight, making for a thrilling match, however the 'Cats fell to the Bulldogs in four sets, 25-22, 10-25, 27-29, and 19-25. 

Allie Barlow dished out 46 assists, the second most in her career. She had a remarkable 18 assists on 19 NMU kills in the thrilling 25-22 first set win. Jacqueline Smith led the attack with 19 kills followed by Kaysie Bakke with a career-high 10. FSU's Olivia Henneman-Dallape led the match with 22. 

FSU hit .312 on the afternoon to NMU's .184. 


Set One
The match began with a trade in points for both NMU and Ferris State, with opening kills from Meghan Meyer and Jacqueline Smith, setting the early score to an even 3-3.

McKenzie Gruner began her play in set one with strong defensive efforts in the form of multiple blocks for the 'Cats. NMU remained locked in back-and-forth attacking efforts between the two teams, while maintaining a two-point advantage through the majority of early play in set one. 

Kills from key NMU players such as Kaysie Bakke and Helen Beiring allowed the Wildcats to maintain the early lead (16-13). This three-point differential, the highest of the set thus far, prompted Ferris to take its first timeout. 

A kill from Bakke paired with two back-to-back kills from Meyer propelled NMU to a score of 20-16, leading Ferris into its second timeout of the set.

Smith opened play out of the timeout with three kills for Northern to combat the strong attacking push from Ferris State as the Bulldogs tried to decrease the deficit (23-19). With three quick points from Ferris, getting the Bulldogs back within two points, NMU elected to take its first timeout of the match. 

One reaching set point, the 'Cats were able to take the first set of the match off of a kill from Meyer, assisted by Allie Barlow. It was just the fifth set the Bulldogs have dropped so far this year. 

The offense was clinical in the opening set with 19 kills, led by seven from Smith. 


Set Two
NMU began the second set via a block from Meghan Meyer accompanied by a kill from Jacqueline Smith. Ferris State began with strong attacking forces gaining an early lead over the 'Cats (6-2), before McKenzie Gruner put an end to the run with a kill of her own. 

Northern remained strong in its efforts to close the gap in the score via big kills from Helen Biering and Smith (9-5).

Ferris State continued on its attack, setting the score to 11-5 before NMU called for a timeout. 
FSU began to increase its lead over the 'Cats via blocks along with attacking errors from NMU (15-6). In an effort to shift the momentum back in favor of Northern, Meghan Meyer and Kaysie Bakke both tallied kills. 

The Bulldogs continued to put pressure on NMU, gaining a double-digit lead before heading into set point, where the team would take set two 25-10.

 
Set Three
The Wildcats opened the third set with an ace from Meghan Meyer paired with a kill from Jacqueline Smith, setting the 'Cats to an early 3-0 lead. This lead, however, was immediately met with a strong push from Ferris that would re-even the score at threes. 

The teams continued to trade points, with kills from Helen Beriring, McKenzie Gruner and Smith. Both teams remained in point-for-point play, with no team gaining a lead higher than 5 in much of the set (14-9 FSU).

Coming out of a Northern timeout, Ferris State continued on its push, but not without fight from the Wildcats via kills from Smith and Kaysie Bakke.

NMU elected to take its second timeout of the set after Ferris State set the score to 19-13 with three quick kills against the Wildcats. 

McKenzie Gruner and Meghan Meyer both recorded two kills that shifted momentum back to the Wildcats as the team began to close the gap in the score to 19-16. 

Out of a Bulldog timeout,  Bakke tallied two kills, followed by one from Smith, that set NMU back within one point as the teams approached set point (22-21).

Crucial kills from Caylie Barlage tied NMU with the Bulldogs at 23-23, followed by a kill from Jacqueline Smith and a block from Kaysie Bakke continued to keep the teams tied and batting for the two-point differential needed to take the set.

This back-and-forth play continued on into extra points until the Bulldogs were able to take set three with a kill (29-27).


Set Four
Play opened in the fourth with the teams trading points back-and-forth once more. Mckenzie Gruner and Jacqueline Smith were able to deliver two big kills that began a Wildcat run in the form of a kill from Rayne Thompson and a block from  Smith. This early NMU lead (7-3) prompted Ferris to take a timeout.

Kills from Gruner and Allie Barlow set the 'Cats with a five-point lead over Ferris (10-5). 

Big defensive efforts and multiple digs from Liesl Haugen allowed the Wildcats to maintain their early lead in the set. 

After an NMU timeout, Ferris recorded four quick points that set the team ahead of Northern by two, sending the teams back into a Northern called timeout. 

Allie Barlow recorded a kill of her own, followed by a Ferris attacking error to even the score. The teams returned to back-and-forth blows with kills from Gruner and Smith, keeping them tied as the set progressed (16-16).

Ferris began to pull away from the 'Cats late, gaining a lead that the 'Cats would not be able to recover from and ultimately taking the match in four sets (25-19).


Up Next
The Wildcats will return to Vandament Arena next weekend for another set of home matches. Northern will face off against Saginaw Valley State on Friday, October 4 at 6:30 p.m. and Lake Superior State on Saturday, October 5 at 4:00 p.m.