Wildcats win fifth set 20-18
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Rivalry. Resilience. And one unforgettable finish. In yet another instant classic between U.P. rivals Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, the Wildcats outlasted the Huskies in a five-set thriller, 23-25, 25-22, 26-24, 14-25, 20-18, behind a career performance from senior McKenzie Gruner, who hammered down 24 kills and carried NMU to victory in front of an electric Vandament Arena crowd on Tuesday night.
The match had everything fans could ask for: 45 ties, 20 lead changes, and nonstop momentum swings that had the crowd on its feet deep throughout the match. Facing three match points in the decisive fifth, the Wildcats dug in and found another gear, rallying to claim a heart-pounding 20-18 final set and their fourth straight win over the rival Huskies.
“Even though it wasn’t our best Northern volleyball tonight, I couldn’t be more proud of us for getting it done,” Gruner said following the match. “There’s nothing better than beating Tech in two fifth sets this year. Also, we’re really happy with the turnout of the fans tonight. It was a great environment!”
Gruner thrived off the energy from the Vandament faithful, besting her previous career high by eight kills to finish with 24 on a .408 clip, including six in the final frame alone. She added three blocks and several clutch points late to seal the win.
Setter Allie Barlow orchestrated the attack with 59 assists, the second-highest total of her career, and continued her dominance against Tech, as her three best assist performances have all come in the rivalry series. Barlow spread the offense evenly, with four Wildcats reaching double-digit kills: Gruner (24), Madison York (13), Kaysie Bakke (11), and Sydney Bartels (10).
Defensively, NMU turned in one of its grittiest performances of the season, racking up a season-high 97 digs and nine blocks. Liesl Haugen anchored the back line with 28 digs, while Bartels tallied a career-high 17, Barlow added 16, and Remi Madison contributed a career-best 13.
The Wildcats finished with 65 kills and a .154 hitting percentage to Tech’s 57 kills on .177 hitting. The Huskies held a 13-9 edge in blocks and were led by Rachel Zurek (15 kills), setter Madelynn Kreider (47 assists), and libero Julia Fledderjohn (28 digs).
The victory marks NMU’s fourth straight win over Michigan Tech and sixth consecutive regular-season triumph in the rivalry. With the result, Northern improves to 7-3 in GLIAC play, pulling into a tie for third place and keeping the push for postseason home court alive.
The thrilling match can be rewatched on Thursday, October 30, at 7 p.m. on FoxUP in the new ‘VB in 60’ format, with Mark Evans and Dave Ellis on the call.
How it Happened
Madison York opened the match with a kill, but the Huskies grabbed an early 3-1 lead. As expected between the rivals, the opening set was a tug-of-war; the teams traded 11 straight points midway through, with NMU clinging to a 13-12 edge. Michigan Tech briefly regained the lead at 21-20, but kills from Kaysie Bakke and Emilia Gulock forced a Husky timeout with Northern back in front 23-22. The break worked in Tech’s favor, as they closed with three straight points to take the set 25-23. Neither team led by more than two in a frame that featured a staggering 17 ties and seven lead changes.
Northern came out firing in the second, jumping ahead 6-2 behind three early kills from York, the first lead greater than two by either team. Tech answered with a 7-2 run to go up 9-8 and extended it to 14-10 before the Wildcats battled back to tie it at 15-15. The teams traded points again, with NMU finally regaining the lead at 21-20. Sydney Bartels came up clutch with a kill to reach set point at 24-22, and a Husky attack error sealed the 25-22 win. Northern’s defense was stellar, holding Tech to just nine kills and a .053 hitting percentage while posting 14 kills of their own.
Tech flipped the script to start the third with a 5-1 lead, but the Wildcats roared back with eight of the next nine points to take a 9-6 advantage, one they never gave up. The Huskies pulled within one at 14-13 before Gruner caught fire, hammering four kills during a 9-3 run to make it 23-16. Tech refused to go quietly, rattling off five straight, but Bakke stopped the surge with a soft touch at the net. After the Huskies evened it at 24-24, Bakke once again delivered with another kill, and a Tech attack went long to give NMU the 26-24 win. The Wildcats hit .237 in the frame with 14 kills, while Gruner’s six kills helped push NMU ahead 2-1.
Bakke carried her late-set momentum into the fourth, opening with a kill as the teams once again traded blows early. Gruner’s kill for a 7-6 lead marked her 17th of the night and a new career high. After Northern led 11-9, the Huskies caught fire, closing on a 16-3 run to take the set 25-14 and force NMU’s third five-setter in five days.
The decisive fifth was pure chaos. Liesl Haugen started with an ace, and York followed with a kill for a quick 2-0 lead. After Tech tied it 2-2, Gruner’s 19th and 20th kills put NMU back up 5-2. The Huskies answered with four straight to take a 6-5 lead, but the ‘Cats led 8-6 at the switch. Tech struck again for four in a row to go up 10-8 before Gruner’s 21st kill stopped the run. Bakke and Gulock followed with kills to make it 11-10 and force another Tech timeout.
The Wildcats led 13-11 with match point in sight, but Tech stormed back with three straight to earn match point at 14-13. York answered with a huge kill, only for the Huskies to reclaim the lead at 15-14. NMU kept clawing, a net violation tied it, and a Tech error flipped the match point back to the Wildcats at 16-15. The teams traded blows again until, fittingly, Gruner took over down the stretch. Her 23rd kill gave NMU match point, and she sealed it moments later with a thunderous finish, her 24th kill, to win the decisive set 20-18.
In a match that featured 45 ties and 20 lead changes, including 12 ties and eight lead changes in the fifth alone, the Wildcats and Huskies delivered another rivalry classic.
Up Next
The Wildcats will be on the road this weekend, making stops at Roosevelt and Parkside.
