MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team (8-8, 5-3 GLIAC) hits the road this weekend for a pair of conference matches, traveling to Davenport (11-4, 5-3 GLIAC) on Friday, October 9, at 6 p.m. before heading to Wayne State (7-9, 3-5 GLIAC) on Saturday, October 10, at 4 p.m.

The Wildcats enter the weekend with plenty of momentum after sweeping Lake Superior State last Saturday, following a 3-1 victory over Parkside the night before. The two wins moved NMU to 5-3 in conference play, putting the Wildcats in a tie for third place in the GLIAC at the halfway point of the conference schedule.

With the Wildcats looking to extend their winning streak to three matches, NMU will see Davenport for the second time this season while clashing with Wayne State for the first time. This weekend presents another opportunity to make a move in a tightly contested GLIAC race.


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
To get the sweep was huge, and it's a lot of good momentum going into the next few weeks. It's been harder day-to-day in the gym in terms of how we're pushing each other. We're playing the long game instead of worrying day-to-day about what needs to change. 



Last Time Out
NMU picked up a pair of conference victories last weekend, defeating Parkside 3-1 at home before sweeping Lake Superior State on the road.

The Wildcats made quick work of the Lakers on Saturday, winning 25-21, 25-14, and 25-10. NMU never trailed once the sets reached their halfway points and put together five runs of four or more consecutive points. The Wildcats also held a 41-23 edge in kills and dominated at the service line, posting a 9-0 advantage in aces.

Kaylie McIntosh led NMU with 12 kills, while Anna O'Keefe added 10. Liesl Haugen recorded 17 digs, while six different Wildcats contributed to blocks.

Senior setter Allie Barlow turned in a career performance from the service line, recording seven aces in the sweep. The seven aces were the most in a GLIAC three-set match this season, and the most in any GLIAC match this season.


More About the 'Cats
Senior setter Allie Barlow continues to lead the Wildcats' offense and was named GLIAC Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week. Barlow totaled 72 assists across NMU's two wins last weekend, including 44 assists in the four-set victory over Parkside and 28 in the sweep of Lake Superior State. She also contributed 14 digs, eight kills, two blocks and a career-high seven aces over the weekend. Barlow has 628 assists this season and averages 10.30 assists per set, both ranking second in the GLIAC. She recently surpassed 3,000 career assists, becoming just the eighth player in program history to reach the milestone.

Senior libero Liesl Haugen anchors the Wildcats' defense and was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week after another standout weekend. Haugen recorded a season-high 29 digs in NMU's win over Parkside, the most in a four-set match in the GLIAC this season, before adding 17 digs at Lake Superior State. She also contributed seven assists and three aces across the two matches. Haugen currently ranks third in the GLIAC with 4.53 digs per set and 263 total digs. She recently surpassed 1,500 career digs, becoming just the fourth player in program history to reach the milestone.

Kaylie McIntosh leads the Wildcats with 206 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. Freshmen Anna O'Keefe and Laynie Russell have also provided significant offensive production, with O'Keefe recording 158 kills and Russell adding 132. 


A Look at Davenport
The Panthers are 11-4 overall and one of three teams with a 5-3 conference record. NMU bested Davenport 3-1 in Marquette on September 18. 

The Panthers are second in the GLIAC in assists per set (12.89) while ranking third in kills per set (13.71) and hitting percentage (.251). Outside hitter Abby Alan is seventh in the GLIAC in kills per set (3.25), eighth in total kills (169), and tied for first in aces per set (0.46). Hayley Carr ranks fifth across the league with 4.31 digs per set.


A Look at Wayne State
A year removed from a GLIAC Tournament Championship and a 24-6 season, the Warriors have started 2026 with a 7-9 overall record after losing several seniors to graduation. 

Wayne State has four players with 100+ kills, led by Katie Smith (171) and Saige Martin (155). Setter Kayla Dulgar is fourth in the conference with 580 total assists, while Katerina Stout is third across the GLIAC with 51 blocks (0.93 blocks per set).