Wildcats volleyball falls at league-leading GVSU
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Raising their hands high, Northern Michigan University's Anna O'Keefe, left, and Larsen Bonnstetter await their chance to make a block during a match played against Tiffin at the UP North Volleyball Tournament at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Aug. 29. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
The Lakers took a 27-25, 25-19, 25-19 victory.
The Wildcats stand 6-8 overall and 3-3 in the league, part of a four-way tie for fourth place, while GVSU improved to 12-2 and 6-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Lakers share the top spot with Ferris State, which is also 6-0 in conference along with a perfect 14-0 overall.
NMU returns home to Vandament Arena for a 5 p.m. Friday match vs. Wisconsin-Parkside before hitting the road for what is expected to be six straight matches. Three will be vs. GLIAC opponents from Saturday through the following Saturday, with an expected three more in what will technically be neutral-site Purdue Northwest for the Midwest Crossover on Oct. 16-17.
On Saturday in Allendale, the Wildcats held several statistical advantages despite losing each set -- they led in kills 39-34, digs 50-48, service aces 6-5 and assists 34-33.
In fact, NMU had the top two attackers based on kills, Kaylie McIntosh with 13 and Laynie Russell 11. Freshman Anna O'Keefe added eight.
KC Fortune and Liesl Haugen toped Northern in digs with 12 apiece, Fortune also making a team-high three aces. Allie Barlow had 31 assists and Larsen Bonnstetter a team-high two blocks.
After several trades of the lead early to start the day, the Lakers opened a 13-8 lead in the first set with a 6-2 run. NMU caught up with a 6-1 spurt to tie it 16-16, that run including two kills by Russell and one by Barlow.
Grand Valley then went on a 6-2 run to go ahead 22-18, but the Wildcats answered with a 6-1 string to take a 24-23 lead. That spurt include two aces by Haugen and a kill each by McIntosh and O'Keefe.
The teams traded the next two points as Northern kept a 25-24 lead, but the Lakers answered with three straight points to win the set.
NMU grabbed a 7-3 lead in Set 2, but the GVSU tied it 9-9. The hosts then used a 6-2 run to go up 15-13, but Northern kept it tied at 15-15 and 18-18 before the Lakers went on an extended 7-1 run to end the set, the Wildcats' lone point interrupting the string a McIntosh kill.
Trailing 2-0, Northern made a bid to take Set 3, jumping out to a 6-2 lead. Those points included two kills each by O'Keefe and Russell, a Fortune ace, and a combined block by Bonnstetter and O'Keefe.
But GVSU got hot again, using a 9-2 run to go ahead 11-8.
The Lakers held off NMU after that, though the Wildcats got within 19-16. But they couldn't score back-to-back points down the stretch as Grand Valley finished off the match.
Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the match. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.