MARQUETTE, Mich. - After winning a pair of matches last weekend at home, the Northern Michigan volleyball team returns to the road this weekend, visiting Saginaw Valley State and Lake Superior State.
The Wildcats will first travel to Michigan's Lower Peninsula to take on the Cardinals on Friday, October 3, at 6 p.m. NMU will then return to the Upper Peninsula to play the Lake Superior State Lakers on Saturday, October 4, at 4 p.m.
Both matches can be streamed on FloCollege.
Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.
Friday, Oct. 3 - at Saginaw Valley State - 6 p.m.
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Live Stats
Saturday, Oct. 4 - at Lake Superior State - 4 p.m.
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Live Stats
From Assistant Coach Kamryn Duffield
"I think going forward, we are a battle-tested team, we had a tough preseason, we were on the road three weeks straight, and about to do another three weeks on the road…and just understanding that we can prove we can do it and how we do take that success and repeat it."
About the Wildcats
Northern secured a pair of key GLIAC wins last weekend, defeating Parkside 3-2 and Roosevelt 3-0 in its first two home matches this season. Now, the Green and Gold return to the road where they have already completed 10 matches away from their own friendly confines.
Through a dozen matches, the Wildcats are averaging 11.4 kills and 10.6 assists per set. The offense, led by senior middle blocker
McKenzie Gruner with 111 kills, has been balanced, as six 'Cats have recorded a 10+ kill match. Setting the offense is reigning All-GLIAC Second Teamer
Allie Barlow with 354 assists, fifth most in the conference.
Defensively, NMU is recording 15.4 digs and 1.6 blocks per set. The back line is led by libero Lisel Haugen with 4.3 digs/set, tied for third in the GLIAC. At the net, Gruner (31),
Emilia Gulock (30), and
Madison York (24) are leading the team in blocks.
The Wildcats have won seven straight matches against both the Cardinals and the Lakers.
Scouting the Opponents
Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
The Cardinals are 6-7 to start the season while holding a 1-3 conference mark. SVSU defeated Lake Superior State 3-1, but has also suffered conference sweeps to Wayne State, Grand Valley State, and Purdue Northwest.
The team is hitting .123 while recording 10.8 kills per set and 10.2 assists per set. Redshirt sophomore Rachel Townsend leads the team with 121 kills, hitting .169. Libero Kendall White is one of only five players in the GLIAC to be averaging over 4.0 digs per set (4.07).
Lake Superior State Lakers
The Lakers are 0-8 to start the season and have secured only one set win to date. LSSU is last across the GLIAC in hitting percentage (.094), opponent hitting percentage (.299), kills per set (8.48), service aces (0.72), and opponent service aces per set (3.2).
Freshman Elisa Rizzoli leads the team with 46 kills while hitting an efficient .262. Junior Morgan Deming has 38 kills and leads the team with 19 blocks.
