KC Fortune leads Wildcats with 21 kills
HOUGHTON, Mich. – After a pair of 25-20 victories in the first two sets, the Northern Michigan volleyball team rallied from a six-point deficit in the third before falling 28-26, then bounced right back with a 25-20 win in the fourth to capture the season sweep over the Michigan Tech Huskies and six straight wins over their U.P. rival.
“That was unreal,” said head coach Mike Lozier. “We have been searching for that spark required to compete at the highest level, and tonight they found it in the biggest moment. We spent the last few days talking about how important this rivalry is to the NMU community, and so to get the win on their floor is special.”
The Wildcats controlled play for much of the afternoon, never trailing by more than a single point in either of the first two sets while facing just one multi-point deficit in the fourth. NMU trailed by as many as six in the third set, scored seven of eight to take a late lead and force extra points, but ultimately could not seal the sweep.
It was a big win for the Green and Gold, who have now won six straight matches over the Huskies, the longest winning streak since winning 10 straight from 2010-14.
Northern had its second-best offensive performance of the season, hitting .295 as a team. That effort was led by KC Fortune, who turned in a career-high 21 kills. Kaylie McIntosh followed with 17 while Anna O’Keefe added 13. Allie Barlow dished out 47 assists to quarterback the attack.
“Shoutout to KC and Kaylie on the outside, getting a heavy dose of sets, and finding ways to get the ball to the floor,” Lozier added. “This win was special, and we are going to enjoy it.”
Defensively, the two liberos, Lauren Cardwell and Taylor Smaka, had 16 and 10 digs, respectively.
Now at 8-7 in the GLIAC with one match remaining, the Wildcats are currently tied with the Huskies for the No. 4 seed, but just 1.5 games behind Saginaw Valley State at No. 3, .5 games behind Davenport (8-6) at No. 4, and .5 games ahead of upcoming opponent Parkside (7-7) at No. 7. All three have two matches remaining this weekend.
How It Happened
Northern came out firing, opening the match with a 4-0 run before Michigan Tech battled back to even the score. The teams traded points through the middle of the set, with the Huskies briefly taking a 10-9 lead.
A Sydney Bartels ace helped the Wildcats regain the advantage, and KC Fortune began to take control offensively, recording her fifth kill to help push NMU ahead 19-16. The Wildcats maintained their momentum down the stretch, closing out the set 25-20 on Fortune’s sixth kill. NMU hit .294 in the opening frame.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the second, building another early advantage before the Huskies briefly moved in front 6-5. Back-to-back kills from Kaylie McIntosh sparked a response, putting NMU ahead 8-6 and forcing a Huskies timeout. Northern continued to build its lead behind a pair of Anna O’Keefe kills and a block, while Fortune added back-to-back service aces to help create a 19-15 cushion.
Fortune remained a force at the net late, recording three kills over the final six points as NMU secured another 25-20 set victory. The Wildcats hit an impressive .394 and totaled four aces in the frame.
Tech responded in the third, using a strong start to build an 8-4 advantage. NMU chipped away, scoring four straight points to pull within two before eventually tying the set and taking its first lead since the opening points at 20-19. Neither side could gain separation late, with the Huskies ultimately holding on through extra points to claim the set 28-26 and extend the match.
The Wildcats answered in the fourth, overcoming an early 3-1 deficit with a four-point run to take the lead. Another 4-0 stretch helped NMU establish an 11-8 advantage, and the Wildcats continued to fend off the Huskies as the set progressed.
Kills from Larsen Bonnstetter and Laynie Russell helped create some breathing room at 21-17, putting NMU within reach of the match. Bartels delivered the final blow, recording an ace to seal the 25-20 set victory and a statement road win over the rival Huskies.
Up Next
With plenty still on the line, the Wildcats will close out the regular season with a pivotal matchup at Parkside on Friday, November 6.
