MARQUETTE, Mich. – With just two matches left in the regular season and a lot on the line ahead of the postseason conference tournament, the Northern Michigan volleyball team is ready for two more matches at home, hosting Lake Superior State on Friday, November 14, at 6 p.m. and Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, November 15, at 3 p.m.
The Wildcats are coming off a monumental weekend, defeating No. 18 Ferris State 3-2 and Davenport 3-1. Now at 10-4 in conference play and with two matches remaining, Northern is in control to earn a home GLIAC quarterfinal. The Wildcats are also just one game behind Wayne State, Ferris State, and Grand Valley State (11-3), who are in a three-way tie for first place.
Seniors
McKenzie Gruner,
Aydan Dalak, and
Rayne Thompson will be honored on Saturday for Senior Day. Both matches this weekend will stream on FloCollege and can be listened to live on 94.1 The Breeze, with Brice Burge on the call.
Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.
From the Coach
" This has been the most chaotic year [in the GLIAC] that I have been a part of. We are now in a position, a team that started 1-9, where we are playing meaningful volleyball at the end of the season."
About the Wildcats
Northern first outlasted No. 18 Ferris State in a five-set thriller to start last weekend on the right note.
Sydney Bartels posted a career-high 21 kills to go along with 15 digs. NMU followed with a four-set win over Davenport, battling back after dropping the opening frame behind another standout defensive showing with a season-best 102 team digs.
Junior libero
Liesl Haugen was once again a force on the back line, tying her own program mark for the second most digs in a match with 38.
Allie Barlow fueled the offense with 53 assists as four Wildcats reached double figures in kills, including
McKenzie Gruner (15) and Bartels (14).
After her performance, Haugen was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. The Maple Grove, Minnesota, native has recorded 20+ digs in 11 of 21 matches this season, and her pair of 38-dig matches both rank in the top-20 individual performances in Division II this season. She paces the GLIAC with 5.44 digs/set in conference play.
Middle blocker
McKenzie Gruner leads the team with 298 kills this season and she has reached 12+ in each of the past seven matches, including a career-best 24-kill outing vs. Michigan Tech on Oct. 28. Her .323 attack percentage (4th) and 3.44 kills/set (6th) in GLIAC matches both rank near the top of the conference leaderboard.
About Lake Superior State
The Lakers enter the weekend at 1-20, with their victory coming in a sweep against Roosevelt on Oct. 25. They have struggled to put together set victories this season, having only won seven sets all year. Junior 6-3 middle hitter Morgan Deming leads the team with 128 kills and a .249 attack percentage this season.
About Saginaw Valley State
The Cardinals enter at 8-18 overall and 2-12 in GLIAC play, with both conference wins coming against Lake Superior State. Rachel Townsend paces the Cardinal attack with 311 kills, ranking fourth in the GLIAC, while Chloe Vanwinkle anchors the service line, averaging 0.4 aces per set. As a team, Saginaw Valley ranks third in the conference with 1.85 aces per set.
