Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan volleyball team experienced a setback on Saturday afternoon, losing to Rockhurst in four sets at the Midwest Conference Crossover Tournament. This defeat halted the team's six-game winning streak. Despite the loss, Northern Michigan finished with a 2-1 record at the tournament.

Key performances came from McKenzie Gruner, who led with 14 kills, and Jacqueline Smith, who contributed 11 kills and multiple blocks.

Northern Michigan secured the first set with a score of 25-19. The team was trailing 19-18 but managed to score the final seven points to take the lead. Julia Bouma's serves were instrumental in this set, as she delivered four aces, including three consecutive points at the start.

In the second set, Rockhurst gained momentum after being tied at 11 points each. They ended the set with a strong 14-5 run and won it 25-16. The third set saw Rockhurst dominating by scoring 21 of the last 26 points, concluding it at 25-11 and taking a lead in the match.

The fourth set was competitive with both teams exchanging leads. However, Rockhurst managed to secure four of the last five points in extra time to win it 28-26 and clinch the match with a final score of 3-1.

Following this match, Northern Michigan's season record stands at 13 wins and five losses.

Looking ahead, NMU will return to GLIAC play next weekend with matches against Grand Valley State on Friday and Wayne State on Saturday.