Tech Volleyball sweeps on Senior Day

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech volleyball team swept Purdue Northwest on Senior Day Saturday at the SDC Gym. The Huskies won 25-23, 25-15, and 25-23 to improve to 13-10 overall and 7-6 in the GLIAC.
Tech honored seniors Ashley L’Esperance, Kaycee Meiners, Abbi Perkins, and Riley Stichter after the match. All four contributed to the victory.

“I’m glad everyone got in, and I’m glad we won for our seniors,” Tech coach Matt Jennings said. “We now have to prepare for two more road weekends against tough GLIAC teams. We usually play pretty well at the this time of the year, and we want to finish strong and make a run in the playoffs”

The Huskies got off to a slow start, trailing by as many as six in the first set but fought back to tie it at 15. PNW again climbed back in front and led 23-19 before Tech scored six straight to take the lead. Jacqueline Yancy had a pair of aces in the late run and Meg Raabe put down back-to-back kills.

Tess Hayes served the Huskies to a 9-0 run early in the second to take control. Abbi Perkins and Kaycee Meiners each had three kills in the set, while Riley Stichter added a kill and Ashley L’Esperance got into the action.

Tech never trailed in the third, but the Pride didn’t go away quietly, tying it at 23. A Meg Raabe kill made it match point and Kaycee Meiners put down the final kill in her final home match.

Meg Raabe (12) and Kaycee Meiners (11) had double-digit kills, while Jacqueline Yancy (6), Paige Wagner (6), and Rachel Zurek (5) also added to the offense. Tess Hayes set the attack with 36 assists to eclipse the 2,000-assist mark for her career. Amelia Albers led the defense with 20 digs.

Tech heads on the road for the final four matches of the regular season, beginning next weekend at Davenport on Friday and Ferris State on Saturday.