16-14 in fifth set
CALEDONIA, Mich. – Trailing 2-0 after defeats of 18-25 in each of the first two sets, the Northern Michigan volleyball team executed its first reverse sweep of the season, taking the next three sets by scores of 25-12, 25-19, and 16-14 for the comeback victory.
The win pushed Northern to 17-8, 11-4 and clinched a top four seed in the GLIAC Tournament beginning on November 20.
Jacqueline Smith was again sensational for the Green and Gold, leading the attack with 21 kills, her sixth match this season with at least 20. Kaysie Bakke added 12 more while Meghan Meyer contributed 10 on a .409 hitting percentage while also leading the team with three aces.
“Davenport came out hot and we weren’t ready to play,” Meyer said following the match. “It took us longer than we wanted to get going, but we leaned on each other and battled through and pulled out a win.”
The Wildcats hit .267 on the evening to DU’s .192. NMU had four players record at least a dozen digs, led by Liesl Haugen’s 23. Northern’s 89 digs as a team marked the second most they’ve produced this season, and the 4th most across the conference.
It didn’t start pretty for the Green and Gold. The Panthers led 7-3 early in the opening set, but NMU battled to take its first lead at 11-10. After some back-and-forth, Davenport scored nine of the final 12, including the last three, to take the first 25-18. NMU had 10 kills in the set from five players, led by five from Smith.
The second closely mirrored the first, as Davenport built a lead, NMU hung around to take its first lead, but the Panthers took the lead back and scored the final four of the set, again ending in their favor 25-18. NMU held a 14-11 kills advantage with six contributing, but eight attack errors and three aces from the Panthers proved costly.
The switch seemed to flip for Northern as the third started. NMU never trailed in the set as three early kills from Smith helped them build a 4-1 lead. Northern continued to build its cushion as the set progressed and finished it off with ease, 25-12. The ‘Cats hit .433 to DU’s .000 and got 15 kills from seven players, led by seven from Smith. Lefty Madison York finished off the set with one of her two kills.
NMU led 4-1 again in the fourth and that start proved important with the teams alternating the following 14 points. The ‘Cats would hold on to take it 25-19 and got 14 kills from six players, again led by four from Smith.
A Meyer kill gave NMU an 8-5 edge as the teams switched sides in the decisive fifth set. Leading 12-8, DU rallied back with the next four to tie the score and raise the stakes. The Panthers held match-point 14-13, but a service error once again evened the score. McKenzie Gruner followed with a kill and Allie Barlow capped off the set and match off with one of her career-high eight kills.
Abby Alan led the Panthers with 21 kills, her fifth time with 20+ this season. The Panthers held a 10-8 ace advantage with Emma Turnquist pacing the way with four.
Up Next
The final weekend of the regular season will consist of a trip to Lake Superior State on Friday, November 15 followed by the regular season finale at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, November 16.
