HOUGHTON---The Northern Michigan University volleyball team pulled out a 3-1 victory in a hostile environment at Michigan Tech University Tuesday night.
The Wildcats (10-4 overall, 4-1 GLIAC) lost the first set, then won the next three.
The scores were 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15.
"What an exciting environment that Michigan Tech puts together here with the band and all the students that were out tonight," NMU coach Dominic Yoder said. "It was a really volatile place for us to play but so exciting and energetic for the sport of volleyball."
MTU (6-8, 3-2 GLIAC) came out firing in the first set and held a 6-1 lead early on. The Huskies led the whole set and hit .265 to take the 1-0 lead. Senior Sarah Hamilton set the tone for the 'Cats with five kills while senior Kalli Herron added four in the set.
With a 10-7 lead in the second set, senior Lina Lopes pounded home a kill and the 'Cats scored eight of the next 11 points to take command. Lopes had five kills in the set while Hamilton and Herron added four. NMU held the home team to only five kills.
Northern took control late in the back and forth third set. A pair of kills late by Hamilton and an attack error by MTU put the 'Cats in front 2-1. Hamilton had six kills in the set.
"Our transitions and work with Kellisha to stay focused on who to set and when to set got us through some of those long volleys in the third set," Yoder said.
The two teams were tied 14-14 in the fourth set before NMU went on a 13-3 run to close out the match. Lopes served three service aces in the set and Herron added five kills.
"The environment made it difficult for our players to play at a high level early on," Yoder added. "Luckily we got through a few points to push through in set three and then I thought we did a good job finishing in set four."
Hamilton paced the Green and Gold with a match and career high 18 kills. She hit .484 for the match and added a pair of blocks. Senior setter Kellisha Harley setup the NMU offense with 53 assists and also added 11 digs.
"My two words to Kellisha after set one, where we weren't scoring a lot, was 'Set Sarah'," said Yoder. "We gave her a lot of chances and Michigan Tech didn't have an answer for her because they were focusing on our two left-side hitters."
Lopes finished with 13 kills and 10 digs. Herron finished with 15 kills. Sophomore Alex Berger added 11 digs.
Aubrey Ficek led the Huskies with 14 kills. Madeline Haben had 39 assists while Jacqueline Arid and Rachel Pohlod added 11 digs each.
The 'Cats continue their four-match road trip at Wayne State (Oct. 4) and Findlay (Oct. 5) this weekend for a pair of GLIAC matches against GLIAC South Division opponents.
"This match prepared our freshman," Yoder said. "They now know what it feels like to play in someone else's gym in the GLIAC. It's such an amazing place to play that our freshman are now prepared to play in GLIAC gyms that will be less stressful than Tech."
The Wildcats (10-4 overall, 4-1 GLIAC) lost the first set, then won the next three.
The scores were 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15.
"What an exciting environment that Michigan Tech puts together here with the band and all the students that were out tonight," NMU coach Dominic Yoder said. "It was a really volatile place for us to play but so exciting and energetic for the sport of volleyball."
MTU (6-8, 3-2 GLIAC) came out firing in the first set and held a 6-1 lead early on. The Huskies led the whole set and hit .265 to take the 1-0 lead. Senior Sarah Hamilton set the tone for the 'Cats with five kills while senior Kalli Herron added four in the set.
With a 10-7 lead in the second set, senior Lina Lopes pounded home a kill and the 'Cats scored eight of the next 11 points to take command. Lopes had five kills in the set while Hamilton and Herron added four. NMU held the home team to only five kills.
Northern took control late in the back and forth third set. A pair of kills late by Hamilton and an attack error by MTU put the 'Cats in front 2-1. Hamilton had six kills in the set.
"Our transitions and work with Kellisha to stay focused on who to set and when to set got us through some of those long volleys in the third set," Yoder said.
The two teams were tied 14-14 in the fourth set before NMU went on a 13-3 run to close out the match. Lopes served three service aces in the set and Herron added five kills.
"The environment made it difficult for our players to play at a high level early on," Yoder added. "Luckily we got through a few points to push through in set three and then I thought we did a good job finishing in set four."
Hamilton paced the Green and Gold with a match and career high 18 kills. She hit .484 for the match and added a pair of blocks. Senior setter Kellisha Harley setup the NMU offense with 53 assists and also added 11 digs.
"My two words to Kellisha after set one, where we weren't scoring a lot, was 'Set Sarah'," said Yoder. "We gave her a lot of chances and Michigan Tech didn't have an answer for her because they were focusing on our two left-side hitters."
Lopes finished with 13 kills and 10 digs. Herron finished with 15 kills. Sophomore Alex Berger added 11 digs.
Aubrey Ficek led the Huskies with 14 kills. Madeline Haben had 39 assists while Jacqueline Arid and Rachel Pohlod added 11 digs each.
The 'Cats continue their four-match road trip at Wayne State (Oct. 4) and Findlay (Oct. 5) this weekend for a pair of GLIAC matches against GLIAC South Division opponents.
"This match prepared our freshman," Yoder said. "They now know what it feels like to play in someone else's gym in the GLIAC. It's such an amazing place to play that our freshman are now prepared to play in GLIAC gyms that will be less stressful than Tech."
