SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State University volleyball team (1-1, 0-9 GLIAC) fell to the Northern Michigan Wildcats (14-2, 7-1 GLIAC) after a thrilling five-set match by a final score of 3-2 on Saturday, the second five-set match of the season series between the two programs.

Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) set the tone early as she opened the match with a service ace, and the Lakers would then take an early 3-0 lead. The Wildcats came back and pushed slightly ahead, but a pair of kills from Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) combined with two service aces from Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.) propelled the Lakers to a 4-0 run to retake the lead. After NMU tied the set at 9-9, the Lakers would use multiple kills from Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.) to go on scoring bursts of 3-1 and 4-0 to push their lead to five points and force a Wildcat timeout. Northern Michigan was able to cut the lead down to within two points, but after taking a timeout to talk things over, the Lakers were able to pull away, using a pair of kills from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) to score the last five points, unanswered, to claim the first set by a score of 25-18.

Both teams would battle early in the second set on their way to a 6-6 stalemate, but the Wildcats were able to pull ahead with a 5-0 run. The Lakers were able to close the gap after an Emily Hagelthorn (South Lyon, Mich.) service ace cut the lead to a single point. However, the Wildcats would once again pull ahead, and after the Lakers managed to stave off three set-points, NMU would hold on to tie the match at 1-1 after taking the second set 25-17.

The Lakers would come out swinging to start the third set with four different players earning kills to open the set with a 6-1 run, but the Wildcats bounced back and managed to tie the set at 10-10. After trading several points, NMU was able to take a 19-16 lead, but a pair of kills from Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.) helped lead her team to a 6-1 run to put the Lakers back in front. The Wildcats tied the set at 23-23, but after a kill from Fleming, Lasley was able to put the set away with a service ace to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Wildcats started the fourth set strong, taking an early 7-1 lead, but the Lakers were able to fight back with a 4-1 run of their own. The Lakers kept battling throughout the set, but NMU held on to take the set 25-16, sending the match to a decisive fifth set, and the tenth overall set played between the two teams in the season-series.

Both teams would go back and forth throughout the first half of the set with multiple kills from Fleming keeping the score within two points. However, the Wildcats were able to pull away late to win the set and the match by respective final scores of 15-8 and 3-2.

Velasque led the way offensively with 17 kills while also picking up eight digs, and Fleming was not far behind with 16 kills of her own. Meanwhile, Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) was able to earn another double-double with 40 assists and 11 digs, and Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.) and Lasley combined for 29 digs defensively.  

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 8 when they host the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers in Bud Cooper Gymnasium with the first serve scheduled for 4 p.m.