Northern Michigan University Wildcats finish volleyball regular season this weekend on road
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University volleyball team enters this final weekend of the regular season knowing it is in the GLIAC Tournament and will go on the road for the opening-round quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The Wildcats hit the highway south to University Center for a 7 p.m. match today at Saginaw Valley State, then stop on the way home in Sault Ste. Marie for a 1 p.m. Saturday match at Lake Superior State.
NMU enters these final two matches tied with Wayne State for sixth in the league at 7-7 — with the Wildcats holding the tiebreaker over the Warriors — and the possibility of finishing anywhere from fifth to eighth.
Last weekend, the Wildcats (11-14 overall) split two matches on their final home weekend, though the win was more important as a three-set sweep of Northwood insured NMU’s appearance in the conference tourney.
Three Wildcats are ranked in the top five in the GLIAC statistically, according to a report from NMU Sports Information. Sophomore Lizzy Stark
In the NMU career record book, senior Sarah Kuehn has 90 blocks this season for 344 in her four-year collegiate career, just 10 blocks shy of sixth all-time. And her 1.11 blocks per set is seventh all-time at Northern.
The Wildcats have a big 58-13 all-time advantage against SVSU, though the Cardinals won in five sets on Sept. 28, taking the final set 18-16.
Northern also has an impressive 85-17-1 all-time record vs. LSSU (8-17, 2-12 GLIAC), though the Lakers snapped a 28-match win streak by Northern with a four-set victory in Marquette on Sept. 27.
Fans can keep up with the Wildcats this weekend online at @NMU_Wildcats on Twitter.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.