Jacqueline Smith 13 kills for Wildcats
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU Wildcat volleyball team ventured downstate to play the No. 1 team in the nation, Ferris State. In the second meeting of the season, Ferris maintained its perfect record, defeating NMU in three sets. The Wildcats put up a good fight, but fell with set scores of 15-25, 24-26, and 22-25.
Jacquline Smith recorded 13 kills on the night, but the ‘Cats were outhit .319 to .173. The Bulldogs held a 51 to 31 digs advantage.
Set One
The match opened with a kill from Jacqueline Smith, set by Allie Barlow. This point for the Wildcats was followed up with a six-point Bulldog run, featuring two kills and a service ace, that prompted NMU to take a timeout.
Smith continued in her attacking efforts with three straight kills, scoring the third, fourth, and fifth Wildcat points (5-7). Ferris responded to the surge in NMU points by scoring four more quick points, once again featuring two kills and a service ace.
Smith delivered a service ace that was accompanied by a kill from McKenzie Gruner. The Bulldogs continued to lean into the ‘Cats pushing the score closer to 25. However, Smith and Gruner were able to record another kill each.
The Bulldogs wrapped up the opening set of this GLIAC meetup with two kills, finalizing the score at 15-25. NMU had seven kills in the set with six errors, while the Bulldogs made a mark with six service aces.
Set Two
The Wildcats, looking to bounce back, began the second set neck-and-neck with Ferris. Smith, Caylie Barlage, Gruner, and Allie Barlow all added early kills to the score, keeping the ‘Cats tied (7-7).
Barlage added a service ace, followed by three kills from Meghan Meyer, giving the NMU team its first lead of the set that led FSU to take a timeout to regather (11-8).
Returning to play from the timeout, Smith added two kills for NMU to combat the two kills that Ferris put up as well. After attacking errors from FSU, the Wildcats had increased the lead to a four-point differential at 15-11.
FSU began to regain control, going on a 8-1 run to lead 19-16.
As the Bulldogs approached the end of set two in the lead, the Wildcats remained determined. Smith gained two kills, keeping the Wildcats within one. A big kill from Gruner tied the game at 24 each before Ferris took the final two points (24-26).
Set Three
A kill from Barlow opened the scoring for NMU in set three. The ‘Cats, looking to stay alive in the match, picked up a five-point lead to begin the third set of play (7-2). After being down early, FSU called a timeout.
Right out of the timeout, FSU scored with two kills that Helen Beiring answered with a kill in response. This attacking play was followed up by a service ace from Smith. A service error from the Bulldogs set the score to 10-5 in favor of NMU.
The Bulldogs began to make a comeback, scoring seven kills and evening the score at 15 apiece. Once FSU regained the lead, Northern elected to gather for a timeout.
Returning to play, Sydney Bartels added a kill and Liesl Haugen recorded a service ace to regain the lead for NMU (19-18). The teams traded back-and-forth kills moving into the final points of the match.
Late in the set, NMU took its last timeout of the match as the score showed 21-23. Out of the stoppage, Meyer scored another kill, but it was not enough to stop the Bulldog force. Ferris State took the third set, as well as the match, with a final score of 22-25.
Up Next
The Wildcats will continue with the road trip to play a match against Davenport on Saturday, November 9 at 6:00 p.m.
