SOPHOMORES SHINE: Norse Volleyball Upends Gogebic In U.P. Battle

Click the VIDEO thumbnails to see highlights from the match, as well as interviews with the four Bay College sophomores on Sophomore Night.

Click the PHOTO thumbnails to see photos

ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse volleyball team stepped out of conference play Monday night to face Upper Peninsula rival Gogebic Community College.

The Norse honored their four sophomores on Sophomore Night and then beat the Samsons, 3-1. The scores were 25-15, 25-19, 25-27, 25-19.

Bay was in control most of the way, and was closing in on a sweep with a 23-17 lead in the third set. Gogebic rallied, though, to take that third set, and the Samsons had a 7-3 lead early in the fourth set before the Norse regained control.

 

Coach Dan Porath needed one more time out after Bay had its 23-15 lead cut to four in that fourth set, but the Norse finished things behind an emphatic kill by Ishpeming's Sonja Kiviniemi to end the match with a 25-19 final.

“I think that we did a good job of pulling it back together in the fourth set,” Bay sophomore Mia Hauser said. “I think that we fell a little bit short in the third. I think we went in a little bit too confident in the third. We did a good job using our teamwork, our skills, and consistency to pull it back together in the fourth. I think we did a good job overall.”

Fellow Norse sophomore Addie Mortin agreed.

“I think we gave (to Gogebic) too much leeway in the fourth,” Mortin said. “We were able to come together in the fourth set as a teamand just put the ball in.”

Said libero Jade Jasenovsky of Menominee, the reigning MCCAA Defensive Player of the Week:

“I think, going into the third set, we thought we had it,” she said. “Overconfidence. But when we came into the fourth, we knew we had to get our energy together. We did a lot more communicating, specially when there were blocked touches and tips.”

Fellow sophomore Hilarie Porcaro of Sault Ste. Marie agreed.

“We gave them a little momentum in the third set, but we definitely came back in the fourth,” Porcaro added. “It felt good, other than the third set. I was excited that we got to play for sophomore night.”

The four sophomores were honored before the match with a loud cheer from the crowd and flower bouquets, something that's become customary at Bay College.

“It's hard seeing the season coming to an end, but it was fun being noticed as teammates,” Morton said. “And just playing again together on our home court. It's fun. We came (to campus) a month early just to bond with our teammates and to meet new people.”

“I definitely love my teammates,” Hauser, a Stephenson High School graduate, added. “I think this year, we've really grown together. I feel like this year, we're a lot stronger as a team. We all hang out together, outside of volleyball, too, so that's nice.”

Morton had 15 kills, Haylee Gatien 14 kills, and Hauser had 13 for the Norse.

With the win, Bay improved to 12-9 on the season, 5-4 in MCCAA play. The Norse have a tough road trip coming against the top two teams in the league, Grand Rapids and Muskegon, before closing at home next Wednesday Oct. 29 in the annual “pink game” against Alpena Community College.

Gogebic fell to 7-13 on the season. The Samsons have lost six straight matches.

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