Wildcats win fourth in a row
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan volleyball team wasted little time on Saturday, rolling past Upper Peninsula rival Lake Superior State in straight sets, 25-20, 25-19, and 25-11. The match lasted just an hour and 15 minutes as the Wildcats extended their winning streak to four and notched their eighth consecutive victory over the Lakers.
Senior outside hitter McKenzie Gruner continued her dominant stretch, following up Friday’s career-high performance with another 16-kill effort. She tallied at least five kills in every set and hit an impressive .556 while adding two blocks at the net. It is also her fourth straight match with at least 13 kills.
Outside hitters Kaysie Bakke and Kaylie McIntosh added nine and seven kills, respectively, while McIntosh contributed two service aces. Setter Allie Barlow directed the offense with 27 assists and added three digs, while libero Liesl Haugen led the team with 16 digs. NMU also tallied six service aces and five team blocks, highlighting both the Wildcats’ offensive balance and defensive presence at the net.
That defensive strength carried over across the match, as Northern limited the Lakers to season lows by a Wildcat opponent in kills (23), hitting percentage (.059), digs (35), and service aces (1).
“I am so proud the team for how we played today,” said Haugen after the win. “We played clean and collected and there wasn’t a moment when I thought we weren’t gonna win.”
With the win, NMU improved to 4-2 in GLIAC play, while LSSU dropped to 0-6.
How it Happened
Northern set the tone early against Lake Superior State, grinding through a back-and-forth opening set before pulling away late. After a 12-12 tie midway through, the Wildcats surged ahead with a five-point run fueled by two McKenzie Gruner kills to take control. The Lakers pushed back with four straight to close within three at 22-19, but NMU held steady to secure the 25-20 win. Gruner paced the attack with five of the Wildcats’ 12 kills in the frame, continuing her hot streak after a 16-kill outing the night before. NMU finished the set hitting .222.
The Wildcats came out firing in the second, using three early kills each from Kaysie Bakke and Gruner to spark a dominant 8-0 run and build an 11-3 lead. The duo stayed hot as the set progressed, combining for four more kills alongside a pair from Kaylie McIntosh to push the margin to 15-7. From there, Northern stayed comfortably in control and closed out a 25-19 victory. Gruner and Bakke each finished with five kills to pace the Wildcats in the frame.
Much like the second frame, Gruner and Bakke sparked the Wildcats early in the third, fueling a 5-0 run to build a 9-3 advantage. After the Lakers recorded a point, NMU responded with six straight points to stretch the lead to double digits at 15-4. From there, the Wildcats never looked back, cruising to a 25-11 victory. The Green and Gold were dominant defensively, limiting LSSU to just three kills and a -.107 hitting percentage. Gruner once again paced the offense with her third straight five-kill set.
Up Next
The Wildcats will remain on the road next weekend, starting with a clash against the Huskies at Michigan Tech on Thursday, October 9, at 6 p.m.
