Northern Michigan University’s Lauren Van Remortel serves during the first set against Michigan Tech on April 3 at Vandament Arena in Marquette. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University volleyball team is attempting to get back to last season’s GLIAC championship level on the road for a pair of matches this weekend.

NMU travels to Midland to take on Northwood at 7 p.m. today before heading back north to face Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The 4-7 Wildcats lost two of three matches to open their home and GLIAC seasons last weekend, defeating Ferris State in four sets before falling in three sets to Grand Valley State and in four sets to Davenport.

NMU was chosen second in the GLIAC North Division, just one point behind Michigan Tech for the top spot. That was even after Northern won the regular-season and tournament titles in the league last spring, a season delayed from its usual autumn time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The team brought back all four All-GLIAC performers from last season, including GLIAC Freshman of the Year Jacqueline Smith, now a sophomore.

Four team members are in the top five statistically in the league. Smith is second in kills with 155 total and 3.97 per set, and is also fifth in service aces per set with 0.44.

Teammate Caylie Barlage is second among GLIAC players in aces per set with 0.62, while an All-GLIAC performer last spring, Lizzy Stark, is fourth in that category with 0.46.

Another All-GLIAC player of the spring, Lauren Van Remortel, is fifth in assists per set with 10.26.

All-time, NMU is 49-24 against Northwood, winning twice last spring. Against LSSU, Northern also won twice last spring and has won 83% of their matches against the Lakers all-time.

Fans can follow these Wildcats and other NMU teams all the time on Twitter at @NMU_Wildcats.

For the Northwood match, video is available at nmuwildcats.com/links/mru6i8 and live statistics at nmuwildcats.com/sports/wvball/2021-22/boxscores/20210924_vcth.xml.

For the LSSU match, video can be found at portal.stretchinternet.com/lssu/ and live stats at nmuwildcats.com/sports/wvball/2021-22/boxscores/20210925_z761.xml.

Information compiled from an NMU report prepared by Athletics Communications intern Harley Beyer and edited by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.