O’Keefe named to All-Tournament Team
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team finished the UP North Tournament on a high note, sweeping the Tiffin Dragons 25-23, 25-19, and 25-20 to earn a 2-2 split on opening weekend.
Outside of an 8-3 deficit early in the second set that the ‘Cats battled back from, NMU only faced four one-point deficits in the first set and led for the entirety of the third. Northern showed the ability to stretch a lead or halt momentum throughout the match by recording 11 runs of three straight points or greater.
The Green and Gold had its most productive match of the weekend, hitting .336 with 48 kills. Kaylie McIntosh led the way with 18, hitting .405, while Anna O’Keefe added 11 on a .500 clip, including NMU’s final two points to seal the win. KC Fortune chipped in another 10 while Allie Barlow added 44 assists and Larsen Bonnstetter was stellar at the net with 3.5 blocks.
O’Keefe was named to the UP North All-Tournament Team following her impressive first weekend. She finished second on the team with 39 kills over the four matches, including 20 in her debut against Winona State. She posted a .267 attack percentage, the highest among NMU’s kill leaders, and tied for third on the team with five blocks.
“I have to be honest, I did not expect Anna to have a weekend like she did,” said head coach Mike Lozier. “Her play was incredible, and it opened up opportunities for other athletes to also have success. I am so happy for Anna to be honored this way, and excited to see how she continues to grow.”
McIntosh had a team-high 47 kills over the weekend while Fortune joined O’Keefe with 39. Bonstetter led the way with 15 blocks, while Barlow’s 149 assists and Liesl Haugen’s 76 digs are team highs.
How it Happened
Kaylie McIntosh opened the match with a pair of kills, pushing NMU ahead 6-2 early. The Wildcats extended the lead to 10-4, but Tiffin found new life on a reversed call, ripping off seven straight points to take an 11-10 lead.
The first set stayed tight from there, with two more McIntosh kills helping NMU reach 20 first for a 20-18 edge. A block from Larsen Bonnstetter and McIntosh pushed it to 23-20, and Bonnstetter closed out the set with a kill over the middle, winning 25-23. McIntosh finished the frame with seven kills.
The second set featured a few long volleys early, with Tiffin also riding three aces to a 6-2 lead. NMU began closing the gap behind a couple of kills from KC Fortune, and McIntosh went on another tear to help NMU regain the edge at 19-18.
Bonnstetter delivered another big block late to cap a 5-0 run, pushing the lead to 22-18, and an Allie Barlow ace sealed the set 25-19. NMU closed the frame by scoring 13 of the final 17 points, with McIntosh adding another six kills.
NMU carried that momentum into the third set, jumping out to a 5-2 lead behind three kills from Anna O’Keefe. Tiffin called a timeout as NMU pushed ahead 8-3, and another Bonnstetter block extended the lead to 11-4. Tiffin battled back within three at 15-12, but three straight NMU kills restored some cushion.
A fake-set attack from Allie Barlow pushed the lead to 21-15, and although Tiffin answered with three straight points, O’Keefe took over from there. A kill got NMU back on track, another gave her 10 kills on the match to reach match point, and her 11th kill of the day closed out the set 25-20 to complete the sweep.
UP North All-Tournament Team
Shelby Kimm – OH (St. Cloud State)
Laurin Hamann – L (St. Cloud State)
Kenzie Kiminski – MB (Minnesota Duluth)
Ava Jones – S (Minnesota Duluth)
Anna O’Keefe – RS (Northern Michigan)
Rachel Zurek – OH (Michigan Tech)
Hailee Peters – S (Winona State)
Katelyn Owens – MH (Tiffin)
Lamona Lauhingoa – OH (Cal State East Bay)
