MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team hits the road for the final time in the regular season with stops at Roosevelt and Parkside this weekend.
The Wildcats (10-12, 7-3 GLIAC) are coming off a dramatic five-set victory over rival Michigan Tech on Tuesday and now sit in a tie for third place in the conference standings. NMU will look to climb higher with two key matchups, playing at Roosevelt (2-20, 1-9) on Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. ET and at Parkside (14-6, 5-5) on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. ET.
Northern has battled through three consecutive five-set thrillers in the past week and will aim to find another gear for the final road swing.
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Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.
Friday, Oct. 31 – at Roosevelt – 7 p.m. ET
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Live Stats
Saturday, Nov. 1 – at Parkside – 4 p.m. ET
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About the Wildcats
Northern Michigan capped a memorable homestand by playing three consecutive five-set matches against Grand Valley State, Wayne State, and Michigan Tech. The Wildcats topped GVSU, fell just short against WSU, and closed the stretch with a dramatic 20-18 fifth-set victory over rival Michigan Tech, marking their fourth straight win over the Huskies. The match featured 45 ties, 20 lead changes, and a career night from
McKenzie Gruner, who tallied 24 kills on a .408 clip. Setter
Allie Barlow recorded 59 assists to lead a balanced offense with four Wildcats in double-digit kills, while NMU's defense held strong with a season-high 97 digs.
Gruner continues to pace the attack with 241 kills, leading the GLIAC in hitting percentage (.380) and ranking fifth with 3.37 kills per set.
Madison York (177),
Kaylie McIntosh (158),
Kaysie Bakke (151), and
Emilia Gulock (122) have all surpassed 100 kills, providing steady support across the front line. Barlow has been rock solid running the offense, ranking fourth in the league with 10.02 assists per set.
Defensively,
Liesl Haugen has anchored the back row as one of the conference's top liberos. The two-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week ranks second in the league with 5.0 digs per set and has posted 20 or more digs in nine of 17 matches this season. Her 38-dig effort against Michigan Tech earlier this year stands as the GLIAC's top single-match mark and the second-highest in program history.
About Roosevelt
Roosevelt enters the weekend at 2-20 overall and 1-9 in GLIAC play. The Lakers picked up their first conference win last weekend, edging Saginaw Valley State in five sets. Three players have surpassed 100 kills, while middle blocker Lihi Zaibert ranks among the league leaders in total blocks (51) and blocks per set (0.84).
About Parkside
Parkside opened the year on a nine-match winning streak before dropping six of its next seven, a stretch that included its first loss of the season to NMU. Since then, the Rangers have rebounded with four straight victories, sweeping both Lake Superior State and Saginaw Valley State last weekend. The team is led by Natalie Harris, who tops the GLIAC with 5.39 digs per set, while Ava Irvin (3.44) and Sam Fisch (3.39) rank third and fourth, respectively, in kills per set.
