NMU Volleyball Runs Table at Wildcat Open

MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University volleyball team swept its opponents at the 2010 Superior Oasis Wildcat Open over the weekend. Saturday the Wildcats defeated Minnesota-Crookston 3-0 (25-10, 26-24, 25-20) and American International 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21). NMU begins the season at 4-0.

In the first match of the day against Minnesota-Crookston the ‘Cats were led by Sami Vierk with 10 kills. Ana Lopes and Emma Wolfe had seven each. As a team the ‘Cats recorded 33 kills in 194 total attempts for a hitting percentage of .115.

Katie Twardzik led the team with 27 assists. Kristin Wetzel added three service aces and nine digs in the win. As a team NMU had eight service aces for the match. Lopes added a team-leading 12 digs with teammate Dani Branco adding 11 on the afternoon. Four different players had at least one block solo (Lopes, Vierk, Wolfe and Ellen Lemos).

Wolfe led the charge in the second match of the day against American International. She ended the match with a match-high 11 kills in 16 total attempts for a hitting percentage of .625. Vierk and Branco added eight kills each. Abby Lovell had a match-high 22 assists.

NMU had five service aces for the match. Four of the aces came from Becca Feuerherd and Lovell with two each. Lopes added 12 digs and a block solo and a block assist.

The ‘Cats up open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play next weekend. NMU is at Ferris State (Sept. 10), Saginaw Valley State (Sept. 11) and Grand Valley State (Sept. 12).