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FIVE-SET THRILLER: Wildcat Volleyball Team Falls
 This story was written by NMU Sports Infromation MARQUETTE---Northern Michigan University Volleyball hosted Saginaw Valley State University in a thrilling five-set Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest but ultimately fell to the Cardinals 3-2. The Wildcats started the day slow, dropping the first set 25-14. However, the Wildcats bounced back and captured the second and third set by the same 25-20 score. In the second set, the Wildcats jumped out to a 9-4 lead and used a block by the pair of senior Sarah Kuehn (Green Bay, Wis.) and freshman Abigail Durecki (South Lyon Mich.) to go ahead 16-13. The team eventually extended the lead to 20-14. Sophomore Hailey Wickstrom (Calumet, Mich.) answered an SVSU point with a kill, then Kuehn added two kills from freshman Lauren Van Remortel (Carmel, Ind.) around two more points from SVSU to make it 23-19. The guest added another point, but Van Remortel scored, followed by a kill by sophomore Lizzy Stark (Minneapolis, Minn.) from freshman Madeline Crowley (Green Bay, Wis.) to give NMU a 25-20 victory. NMU started the third set strong and eventually pulled ahead to a 19-11 advantage. SVSU narrowed the gap before Wickstrom and Stark recorded a kill each to make it 21-14. Wickstrom then added another kill, moving it to 22-16. After an attack error by the Cardinals gave NMU another point, the Cardinals went on a quick run to make it 23-19. However, Van Remortel put the ball over the net for a score and then assisted on the set-winning kill by freshman Durecki to answer an SVSU point, giving NMU a 25-20 third set win. The Cardinals bounced back to win the fourth set 25-18 to force a fifth set. SVSU jumped out to a 10-6 advantage in the deciding set but NMU rallied back. Durecki and Stark both notched kills, and Durecki then had a block while the Cardinals suffered two attack errors to move the Wildcats ahead 11-10. The guest tied the score at 11-11, then had another attack error to make it a 12-11 NMU lead. The teams continued to exchange points until the score was tied 16-16. However, SVSU was able to score two points and took an 18-16 set victory to win the match 3-2. It was a balanced offense for the Wildcats as four players reached double figures in kills. Stark led the way with 14 while Wickstrom added 12 kills, only committing two errors. Kuehn and Durecki both tallied 12, with Durecki also only committing two errors. Van Remortel notched 43 assists. She also added an ace along with sophomores Alli Yacko (Oak Lawn, Ill.) and Lauren Caprini (St. Charles, Ill.). Defensively, five players achieved double digit digs, led by Yacko's 19. Stark added 16 while Crowley posted 14. Caprini chipped in with 13 and Van Remortel had 12. At the net, Kuehn finished with six total blocks with Durecki aided the effort with five. Wickstrom notched four and Stark had three. The Wildcats fall to 5-8 on the season, 2-3 in the GLIAC while SVSU improves to 8-4 overall, and 2-2 in the conference. NMU will now hit the road again and will visit #16 Ferris State University and Northwood University in GLIAC clashes next weekend. |
