Liesl Haugen serves a career-high seven aces
SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team made quick work of the Lake Superior State Lakers on Saturday, securing set wins of 25-21, 25-14, and 25-10 for its second sweep of the season.
NMU controlled play throughout the match, never trailing when the sets were more than halfway through. NMU also put together five runs of four straight points or greater.
Kaylie McIntosh led the way with 12 kills while Anna O’Keefe added another 10. Liesl Haugen recorded 17 digs, and six different ‘Cats contributed to blocks.
The Wildcats put down 41 kills hitting .176, while the Lakers managed just 23 at a .112 clip. NMU also held a dominant 9-0 edge on the service line, with Allie Barlow putting forth one of the most impressive performances on the serve. Her seven aces were a career high.
NMU improved to 8-8 overall and 5-3 in the GLIAC with the win.
How it Happened
Lake State opened the match with a 3-1 lead, but Northern quickly settled in and took control. The Wildcats scored six of seven points near the midway point of the set, taking a 12- 9 lead, then continued to build their advantage as the set progressed.
A pair of kills from Laynie Russell, followed by kills from KC Fortune and Kaylie McIntosh, helped Northern stretch its lead to 22-17 and force a Lakers timeout. O’Keefe then put the Wildcats at set point with her sixth kill of the frame, and Northern closed out the opening set, 25-21.
Northern carried that momentum into the second set, using a 7-1 run to build a 7-3 advantage. The Wildcats maintained a comfortable lead throughout the middle portion of the set before putting together another decisive run late. Northern scored five straight, highlighted by kills from three different players, to take a 23-13 lead.
McIntosh finished off the dominant set with a kill as the Wildcats scored 12 of the final 15 points to win 25-15. Northern’s defense was equally effective, recording five blocks in the set with Larsen Bonstetter contributing to three of them.
The Wildcats came out firing again in the third, opening the set with a 7-0 run behind four aces from Allie Barlow. Northern continued to add to its advantage, pushing the lead into double digits at 13-3 and later extending it to 18-7.
The Lakers responded with their longest run of the match, scoring five straight to trim the deficit. Helen Beiring answered with a kill and a block to help settle the Wildcats, who moved to match point at 24-16. The Lakers scored four more in a row, but McIntosh ended the comeback attempt with a kill to give Northern a 25-20 third-set victory and a 3-0 sweep.
Up Next
Northern will be back on the road next weekend, with stops at Davenport on Friday (October 9) and Wayne State on Saturday (October 10).
