PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Northern Michigan volleyball team played its third of four games on Friday night at the SpringHill Suites Invitational, falling to No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State in straight sets, 19-25, 23-25, and 15-25.

The Wildcats were led by Madison York for the second straight game, as she reached 11 kills while hitting .346. Defensively, Liesl Haugen added 20 digs and Allie Barlow chipped in another 13 to go along with 25 assists. Northern totaled eight blocks, while McKenzie Gruner led the front line with three. 

The Mustangs notched a dozen more kills (45-33) and outhit the Wildcats .248 to .105. Leah Jones had 12 kills while Mya Krystosek added 11 and three aces. 

Battling early in the first, the Mustangs strung several good sequences together to lead 11-5. Kills from York, Kaylie McIntosh, Gruner, and Kaysie Bakke kept NMU in striking distance at 18-14, but SMSU managed two more 3-0 runs to win the opening set 25-19. 

NMU answered in the second with runs of 4-0, 3-0, and 5-0 to lead 14-10 halfway through the set. The wealth was spread around, with five 'Cats contributing kills in those runs. NMU's third ace of the set gave them a 21-17 lead, but the Mustangs eight of the final 10 to steal the set 25-23. 

The Wildcats jumped out to another small lead in the third, this time 7-5. York recorded consecutive kills and Sydney Bartels chipped in her second ace of the night. SMSU followed with five staight points and continued to be aggressive, building its lead to 15-9 and 19-11. Kills from York and Barlow chipped the deficit to six, but SMSU closed the match with the final five of the last six to win 25-15. 


Up Next
Northern will wrap up the SpringHill Suites Invitational with a matchup against host West Florida tomorrow, September 6, at 11 a.m. ET.