Setter Allie Barlow and Liesl Haugen for defense
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Northern Michigan volleyball seniors Allie Barlow (Setter) and Liesl Haugen (Defensive) were selected as GLIAC Players of the Week after leading the Wildcats to a 3-1 win over Parkside and a 3-0 victory at Lake Superior State this past weekend.
“Allie and Liesl continue to remind everyone why they will go down as two of the best players to come through this historic program,” said coach Mike Lozier. “Their on-court performances are only outshone by their leadership. Liesl went dig for dig with the defending libero of the year in our matchup Friday night, and Allie goes out and gets seven aces on Saturday. Really awesome stuff from both of them. I also want to commend our entire team on the weekend sweep. These awards are special, not only for the individuals themselves, but also for the team as a whole, because it takes a team effort for anyone to achieve individual successes.”
Barlow was named the GLIAC Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week after helping lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 weekend. The senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, made an impact in every facet of the game. In a 3-1 win over Parkside, Barlow recorded 44 assists and 11 digs, while adding five kills, two aces, and two blocks. In a 3-0 victory at Lake Superior State, Barlow recorded seven aces, the most in a GLIAC three-set match this season and the most in any GLIAC match this season. She also added 28 assists, three kills, and three digs in the victory. This season, Barlow has recorded 628 assists and averages 10.30 assists per set, both ranking second in the conference.
Haugen was also named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week. In NMU’s win over Parkside, Haugen recorded a season-high 29 digs, the most in a four-set match in the GLIAC this season. She followed that performance with 17 digs at Lake Superior State. Haugen also added seven assists and three aces across the two matches. The senior from Maple Grove, Minnesota, ranks third in the GLIAC this season with 4.53 digs per set and 263 total digs. She recently surpassed 1,500 career digs, becoming just the fourth player in program history to reach the milestone.
Two of the best to ever play their respective positions in program history, Barlow and Haugen have been instrumental in leading the ‘Cats to a 5-3 conference record at the halfway point of the GLIAC schedule. The Wildcats are currently tied for third in the conference standings.
Barlow, Haugen, and the Wildcats will look to carry that momentum into this weekend when NMU travels south to take on Davenport on Friday (October 9) and Wayne State on Saturday (October 10).
