HOUGHTON – On a night when the Michigan Tech University volleyball team honored its seniors, it was the Northern Michigan University Wildcats who stole the show Tuesday at the Student Development Complex.

Michigan Tech played its finest set of the night in the opener, winning 25-18. But NMU, riding the momentum of upsetting No. 1 Ferris State University on Saturday, controlled the rest of the match, winning the final three sets 25-20, 25-21 and 25-17.

“It’s bittersweet in a way,” said head coach Matt Jennings of Michigan Tech (17-9, 8-6 GLIAC). “We’re celebrating a successful year, and our four incredible seniors on a night when you lose to your rivals.

“You have to find that balance. I’m bummed, but I’m happy that we are where we are as a program.”

At the conclusion of the match, Michigan Tech honored its four seniors: Aubrey Havlichek, Sarah Rasmussen, Jacqueline Aird and Sylvie Rokosh.

“Because of them and what they’ve done, and their resiliency, we took a team that was 0-19 and won our first 10 matches this year,” Jennings said. “Their first win of their freshman career snapped a 24-game losing streak, so it’s come a long way.”

It would have been a fitting ending to send them out victorious over their archrival, and it appeared they were on pace to do so when the Huskies opened the match with a 13-4 lead in the opening set after a kill by junior Aubrey Ficek. Aird sealed the match with a push-kill to give Michigan Tech the 25-18 win in the opener.

“Tech came out really fast and hard on us,” NMU head coach Dominic Yoder said. “We really had to fight to get our composure back after that first set. They did a great job against us. And then we were just slow and steady in Sets 2, 3 and 4.”

Sophomore Noelle Eveland gave Michigan Tech a 15-14 lead, but from there, NMU would go on a 7-2 run that was capped by a kill from freshman Autumn Monsma to give the Wildcats a 21-17 lead. Monsma closed the set by firing two aces for a 25-20 win for NMU (18-8, 7-7 GLIAC).

“I think everyone who was here saw it happen when it happened halfway through that second set,” Jennings said. “Then we just couldn’t find our groove again and Northern just became the aggressor – especially with serves.”

The third set went the same course as the second: back and forth until NMU made another run. Tied 17-17, the Wildcats outscored the Huskies 7-2 to go up 24-19 before junior Bridget Bussell secured the set-winning kill. Four of the Wildcats’ seven points during that run came on errors by Tech.

“As soon as we couldn’t pass the ball, we couldn’t run our speed offense, and we became predictable,” Jennings said. “They (NMU) double-blocked on the outside against a shorter team. One thing always leads to the other, so we have to pass better.”

Similar to the previous two sets, NMU’s height advantage and consistent efficiency was the difference down the stretch. Tied 15-15, the Wildcats closed on a 10-2 run to secure the set and match.

“It’s definitely a weapon when you can slow an offense down,” Yoder said about his team’s height. “Really dictate where they’re going to hit the volleyball, so I have to give credit to Madison (Whitehead), even Jami Hogeboom did a great job of setting the block for us on the right side and creating advantages for us on defense.”

Hogeboom recorded 42 assists, and senior Alex Berger recorded 28 digs. NMU will be on the road when it goes against Wayne State University on Friday.

MTU sophomore Lauren Emmert led the team with 13 kills, while Ficek finished with 10 kills. Aird tallied 26 digs and junior Rachel Pohlod had 38 assists.