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Volleyball Wildcats of Northern Michigan University return home for first match at Vanadment Arena tonight

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

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University volleyball team will play its only home matches of this month today, Saturday and Sunday against GLIAC opposition at Vandament Arena.

The Wildcats host Ferris State in their home and GLIAC opener at 7 p.m. today, with Grand Valley State coming in at 4 p.m. Saturday and Davenport at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The defending conference regular-season and tournament champions were picked second in North Division in the GLIAC preseason coaches poll, a single voting point behind Michigan Tech.

Much-heralded sophomore Jacqueline Smith leads Northern after she was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year and GLIAC Tournament MVP last spring. She led the Wildcats in kills and points, both overall totals and per set in each of those statistics.

Smith was also joined on the GLIAC First Team by NMU returnees Lauren Van Remortel and Meghan Meyer. Van Remortel, the team’s principal setter, led Northern in assists last season, while Meyer topped the Wildcats in total blocks and the entire league in attack percentage.

NMU is 3-5 after attending a pair of out-of-town tournaments, the Keweenaw Classic in Houghton and the University of Indianapolis Tournament, the past two weekends. The opposition included three NCAA Division II top-25 teams as the Wildcats started the year just outside those rankings in 29th.

This season, Smith is third in the GLIAC in kills with 3.71 per set and fourth in total kills with 104. Teammate Caylie Barlage is second in service aces per set with 0.57, while Lizzy Stark is close behind in fourth with 0.50.

Northern is working on a two-match winning streak after posting a three-set sweep of Bemidji State (Minnesota) and four-set win over Cedarville (Ohio) to conclude their run in Indy.

For this weekend, today’s match is the 100th all-time between the Wildcats and Ferris as they split their matches last season.

NMU is 51-51 all-time vs. Grand Valley dating back to 1975, which includes a four-set win by Northern in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals in the spring.

And the Wildcats are 6-2 against Davenport, including a pair of four-set and a five-set win over the Panthers last season, one of them in the GLIAC quarterfinals.

Fans can follow the volleyball Wildcats all the time on Twitter at @NMU_Wildcats. Video of each match this weekend can be found at nmuwildcats.com/links/0j1o2m.

In tonight’s match, tickets are available at nmuwildcats.com/links/yd9f57, audio at rrnsports.com and live statistics at nmuwildcats.com/sports/wvball/2021-22/boxscores/20210917_juue.xml.

For Saturday vs. GVSU, tickets are available at nmuwildcats.com/links/xb2wlj and for Sunday’s Davenport matchup, tickets can be purchased at nmuwildcats.com/links/y921ks and audio can be found at rrnsports.com.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal. net.

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