Great Lakes Wire

After a lengthy period on the road, the Northern Michigan University volleyball team is set to play seven of its last nine regular-season matches at home in Vandament Arena. The Wildcats will face Grand Valley State on Friday, October 24, at 4 p.m., followed by a match against Wayne State on Saturday, October 25, at 3 p.m.

Northern Michigan holds a 7-11 overall record and is 5-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The team recently went 1-2 at the Midwest Region Crossover tournament. Their upcoming opponents, Grand Valley State (12-5, 7-1) and Wayne State (14-4, 6-2), also participated in the event, with Grand Valley State posting a similar 1-2 record and Wayne State finishing 2-1.

Fans can watch the matches on FloCollege or listen live on 94.1 The Breeze with Brice Burge providing commentary. Updates will be available on the team's social media accounts.

Reflecting on recent competition, the coach stated, "The Crossover tournament was a really good measuring stick to see where we are at. Now we have two really tough opponents coming up who are ahead of us in the standings."

Defensively, libero Liesl Haugen has earned GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season. She recorded 38 digs against Michigan Tech on October 9, marking the highest single-match total in the conference this season and the second-highest in NMU history. Since her return to play on September 26, Haugen ranks second in the conference with an average of five digs per set during league play.

On offense, McKenzie Gruner leads the GLIAC in hitting percentage (.385) during conference matches and is ninth with 88 kills. Freshman Kaylie McIntosh has become a significant contributor, averaging nearly 12 kills per match over her last seven games, including a standout performance with 19 kills and two errors against Michigan Tech. She is also second in the conference for service aces per set.

Setter Allie Barlow is averaging nearly ten assists per set, helping six different Wildcats achieve multiple double-digit kill matches this season.

Grand Valley State enters this weekend tied for first place in the GLIAC. The Lakers have one of Division II's most efficient offenses, ranking among national leaders in both hitting percentage and kills per set. They also lead the conference in blocks, anchored by Brianna Stawski, who tops the league with over one block per set and maintains a strong hitting percentage alongside teammate Meghan O'Sullivan.

Wayne State stands just ahead of NMU in the standings and is recognized for its offensive efficiency and defensive strength within the conference. Kayla Duglar leads all players in assists while Kayla Giroux ranks highly in both kills and hitting percentage within the GLIAC.