MARQUETTE, Mich. – With two weeks left in the regular season, the Northern Michigan volleyball team is in the thick of the race for home-court advantage come the GLIAC Tournament. 

The Wildcats split last weekend, falling in three sets to Ferris State before bouncing back with a four-set victory over Purdue Northwest. Now at 7-5 in the GLIAC and tied with three other teams in third through sixth place, the Green and Gold wrap up regular season play in Vandament Arena. NMU will first host Grand Valley State (18-5, 10-2) on Friday, October 30, at 6 p.m. Then on Halloween afternoon, the Wildcats will welcome Wayne State (12-11, 5-7). 

The team will honor seniors Lauren Cardwell, Kaysie Bakke, Helen Beiring, KC Fortune, Liesl Haugen, Sydney Bartels, and Allie Barlow prior to Saturday's match. 


Follow the Action
Stay connected with @NMU_Wildcats and @NMU_Volleyball on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend.


A Word From Mike Lozier
"Both [Grand Valley State and Wayne State] are really talented teams. They both beat us a couple of weeks ago, so I am excited to see what we are made of this weekend."



Last Time Out
Northern split last weekend, falling to No. 1 Ferris State (19-25, 11-25, 11-25) and defeating Purdue Northwest (25-20, 25-16, 22-25, 25-16). 

Kaylie McIntosh led the Wildcats with 11 kills against the Bulldogs, but Ferris State's .409 hitting percentage proved too much to overcome in the straight-set defeat.

Northern responded with a strong offensive performance against the Lions. KC Fortune paced the Wildcats with 15 kills, followed by McIntosh with 12 and Anna O'Keefe with 10. The Wildcats hit .270 as a team and tied a season-high with 11 service aces. Allie Barlow led the way with four aces and 43 assists, while Taylor Smaka added three aces, all coming during a key run in the fourth set. 


About the 'Cats
Senior setter Allie Barlow leads the NMU offense and was named the GLIAC Setter of the Week twice this season. Barlow has 859 assists this season and averages 9.87 assists per set, both ranking fourth in the GLIAC. She has also been one of the best in the conference at the service line, ranking first in aces (44) and aces per set (0.51), which both are top-40 marks nationally.  Her seven aces at Lake Superior State on October 3 are also a high point among all league matches. She surpassed 3,000 career assists earlier this season, becoming just the eighth player in program history to reach the milestone.

Kaylie McIntosh leads the Wildcats with 277 kills this season, ranking fourth in the GLIAC. McIntosh has been one of the conference's most productive attackers throughout the season, including a career-high 28-kill performance against Michigan Tech. 

NMU has also seen significant offensive production from a pair of freshmen. Anna O'Keefe is second on the team with 210 kills, reaching double figures in over half of her matches, including a season-high 20 kills in her debut against Winona State. Laynie Russell isn't far behind with 185 kills along with a team-high 49 blocks and .290 attack percentage. 

Senior libero Liesl Haugen has been a standout presence in the Wildcats' back row throughout the season. She surpassed 1,500 career digs earlier this season, becoming just the fourth player in program history to reach the milestone.


A Look at Grand Valley State
The Wildcats were swept by the Lakers on September 26, with scores of 25-27, 19-25, and 19-25. At 10-2 in the GLIAC, the Lakers have only lost to Ferris State (0-3) and Michigan Tech (2-3). 

GVSu ranks second across the conference in hitting percentage (.276)and opponent hitting percentage (.156), while ranking first in blocks per set (2.1). 

Offensively, the Laker attack is led by Finely Arp (231 kills) and Paige Sanders (217). Sanders has been one of the most efficient hitters in the country, as her .408 attack percentage paces the league and is 12th in Division II. Defensively, Lexi Armstrong ranks second in digs per set (4.87). Arp and Sanders slot in at second and third in blocks per set, with 0.88 and 0.86, respectively. 


A Look at Wayne State
After a season in which the Warriors went 24-6 and won the GLIAC Tournament title, they have taken a step back in 2026, but that does not mean they aren't dangerous. Wayne State swept the Wildcats (25-15, 25-15, 25-10) on October 10 and will look to play spoiler on NMU's senior night. 

As a team, the Warriors are hitting .232, recording 1.65 aces per set, and totaling 12.2 assists per set, all ranking in the top half of the league. 

Katie Smith has 273 kills this season, good for sixth in the conference. Setter Kayla Dulgar is averaging 10.13 assists per set, one of only two players in the GLIAC in double figures.