PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team dropped its first game of the season, falling to Spring Hill College in four sets, 19-25, 25-22, 17-25, and 19-25. It was the first of two today for the Wildcats, as they’ll have a quick chance to bounce back.
Lefty Madison York led the way with a career-high 14 kills. She posted six in the second set and had multiple in each of the four. McKenzie Gruner followed with 13 kills while Emilia Gulock topped her personal best from yesterday, notching 11.
The ‘Cats totaled 54 kills while hitting .189. NMU recorded more kills than its opponent in each of the first two sets, marking six straight to start the campaign, before Spring Hill bested Northern in the third. The Badgers had 55 kills and hit .267 in the match, with Claire Hayes’ 21 kills leading the attack.
How it Happened
The Wildcats were trailing 13-8 halfway through the opening set, but a pair of kills from York and another from Gulock pulled them within two. The two added kills late to keep NMU in it, but the Badgers prevailed with a 25-19 first set. Northern recorded 16 kills, led by York and Kaysie Bakke with four each.
In the second, NMU pulled ahead early with a 5-2 edge. NMU rallied off five straight points to lead 15-12 as the set rounded its halfway point. The attack kept coming with another four straight to build a six-point lead at 19-13. NMU finished off the set victory with a kill from Gulock. York paced the way with the best individual set of the season, notching six of Northern’s 16 kills.
The Badgers responded with a quick 5-1 lead in the third. They maintained a comfortable lead until the ‘Cats scored three straight to lessen the gap to three, 17-14. Spring Hill would score the final three and take the set 25-17. It was the first set this season NMU trailed in kills, 9-15.
Trailing 11-7 in the fourth, three straight points off kills from Gulock and Gruner got the Wildcats within a point. The Badgers pushed back with four straight and led 18-12. From there, they’d take the set 25-19 and the match victory. NMU had 13 kills in the finale to SHC’s 19.
The Northern Michigan volleyball team played its third of four games on Friday night at the SpringHill Suites Invitational, falling to No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State in straight sets, 19-25, 23-25, and 15-25.
The Wildcats were led by Madison York for the second straight game, as she reached 11 kills while hitting .346. Defensively, Liesl Haugen added 20 digs and Allie Barlow chipped in another 13 to go along with 25 assists. Northern totaled eight blocks, while McKenzie Gruner led the front line with three.
The Mustangs notched a dozen more kills (45-33) and outhit the Wildcats .248 to .105. Leah Jones had 12 kills while Mya Krystosek added 11 and three aces.
Battling early in the first, the Mustangs strung several good sequences together to lead 11-5. Kills from York, Kaylie McIntosh, Gruner, and Kaysie Bakke kept NMU in striking distance at 18-14, but SMSU managed two more 3-0 runs to win the opening set 25-19.
NMU answered in the second with runs of 4-0, 3-0, and 5-0 to lead 14-10 halfway through the set. The wealth was spread around, with five ‘Cats contributing kills in those runs. NMU’s third ace of the set gave them a 21-17 lead, but the Mustangs eight of the final 10 to steal the set 25-23.
The Wildcats jumped out to another small lead in the third, this time 7-5. York recorded consecutive kills and Sydney Bartels chipped in her second ace of the night. SMSU followed with five staight points and continued to be aggressive, building its lead to 15-9 and 19-11. Kills from York and Barlow chipped the deficit to six, but SMSU closed the match with the final five of the last six to win 25-15.
Up Next
Northern will wrap up the SpringHill Suites Invitational with a matchup against host West Florida tomorrow, September 6, at 11 a.m. ET.
