MARQUETTE, Mich. – Now riding a six-match winning streak, the Northern Michigan volleyball team will be in Hammond, Indiana, this weekend for the Midwest Region Crossover. With 38 teams from the GLIAC, GLVC, and G-MAC in contention, the Wildcats will have their chance to prove themselves against the region's elite.
Northern will open the Crossover against Findlay, a team it met twice last season, including a five-set win at this event. The teams will play on Friday, October 17, at 12:30 p.m. ET. NMU will then take on Quincy just a few hours later at 5:30 p.m. ET. The Wildcats will face a third opponent on Saturday, which will be announced following Friday's matches.
Hosted by the GLIAC, the tournament page can be found
here.
Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.
Friday, Oct. 17 - vs. Findlay - 12:30 p.m. ET
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Live Stats
Friday, Oct. 17 - vs. Quincy - 5:30 p.m. ET
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Live Stats
Saturday, Oct. 18 - vs. TBA
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Live Stats
From Assistant Coach Lauren Van Remortel
"Right now, we are experiencing what it feels like to be playing Wildcat Volleyball. Going into this weekend, we have a good idea of who we are and how we want to play. We are playing two good teams, but the expectations don't change for us at all."
About the Wildcats
The Wildcats have played 14 of their 16 matches away from home and will make that 17 of 19 after this weekend. NMU returns to Hammond, Indiana, where it played just last weekend against Purdue Northwest, earning a four-set victory.
At the forefront of NMU's six-match winning streak is libero
Liesl Haugen, who returned to the lineup six matches ago after an injury. She has been named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks. Against Michigan Tech on October 9, she recorded 38 digs – the most by any GLIAC player this season and the second-most in NMU history. Since returning on September 26, she ranks second in the GLIAC with 5.0 digs per set in conference play.
On the offensive side,
McKenzie Gruner has recorded at least a dozen kills in each match during the streak, including five matches hitting over .300. Through eight conference contests, her .385 hitting percentage ranks first, and her 88 kills rank ninth. Behind Gruner is standout freshman
Kaylie McIntosh, who is averaging 13.5 kills per match over the last four, including 19 against Michigan Tech. She has also been strong at the service line, ranking second in the GLIAC with 0.5 aces per set.
Setter
Allie Barlow has been one of the best in the conference, averaging 9.88 assists per set. She has proved elite at spreading the ball around, as NMU has had four players with 10 or more kills in each of the four matches that went at least four sets during the winning streak.
The Wildcats defeated Findlay 3-2 at the Crossover last season, but Findlay swept NMU in last year's home opener. The Wildcats last met Quincy in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, a 3-0 victory for the Hawks.
Scouting the Opponents
Findlay Oilers
Findlay enters the weekend at 12-2 (6-1 G-MAC) and is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Poll. The Oilers boast one of the most potent offenses in the country, ranking fourth in kills per set (14.6), fifth in assists per set (13.6), and 14th in hitting percentage (.264). Junior outside hitter Makenna Belcher leads the team with 210 kills and ranks 16th nationally with 4.2 kills per set. Three other Oilers have eclipsed 120 kills so far. Senior setter Emma White is fourth in the nation, averaging 11.5 assists per set.
Quincy Hawks
The Hawks are 13-4 this season with a 4-2 mark in the GLVC. Quincy is also a top-50 offense, ranking 27th in assists per set (12.7), 28th in kills per set (13.7), and 47th in hitting percentage (.233). Junior Susanna Beretti is one of the top outside hitters in the country, ranking seventh in kills per set (4.43) and 13th in total kills (266). Setter Elena Kasavica ranks 23rd in Division II with 640 total assists.
