Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – For the first time in program history, the SWOSU Volleyball team played their season opener on their home floor, but Northern Michigan spoiled the event with a three-set win over the Bulldogs on Thursday afternoon at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
The veteran Northern Michigan team, coming off a 20-win season, overpowered the Bulldogs and won by scores of 25-21, 28-26, 25-20. SWOSU's best chance to win a set came in the second, when they took a 24-21 lead on a kill from
Valerie Vermillion, but NMU fought off four set points in the match before putting it away at 28-26 to take the commanding lead. The Wildcats led throughout third set and SWOSU got within three on two occasions before NMU put the set and match away at 25-20.
Finding offense was the main difficulty for the Bulldogs, who finished with 32 kills while hitting .108 for the match. The bigger Northern Michigan team had an advantage at the net with nine blocks compared to six for SWOSU while the teams were nearly identical in digs with NMU holding an advantage of one, 59-to-58.
Senior outside
Carly Zak provided the bulk of the offense for SWOSU, adding 15 kills to her school-record total while battling 13 hitting errors for a hitting percentage of .043 and she added a team-best 12 digs for a double-double.
Kelsi Schmidtberger had six kills and four blocks while fellow middle hitter
Paige Holt added five kills and a pair of blocks.
Kayla Hebert recorded a team-best 24 assists and
Lindsey McCauley had 11 digs.
"I like the way our team battled this evening against a very tough opponent in Northern Michigan," SWOSU Head Coach
Josh Collins said. "I think it's important for our team to be tested early in the season and I liked that we got to play a game in front of our home fans to kick off the season."
Bulldog Volleyball will be busy this weekend, playing four matches at the West Texas A&M Buff Classic on Friday and Saturday. First action on Friday morning is at 11 am with SWOSU facing McKendree.
