Volleyball Drops 3-0 Contest To Saginaw Valley

MIDLAND, MICH. – The Northwood University volleyball team dropped a 3-0 match to Saginaw Valley State Saturday evening (October 31). Set scores were 25-22, 25-18, 25-23.

Northwood falls to 10-14 overall, 6-7 in the GLIAC. SVSU improves to 19-5 overall, 9-4 in the GLIAC.

Both offenses struggled in the opening two sets, as the two teams combined to hit .000 overall – SVSU was at .034 after two (22-19-87) while NU was at -.032 (17-20-93). With the score tied 22-22 in the opening set, SVSU scored the final three points in the first set to earn the lead. The Cardinals then scored 13 of the first 16 points in the second set and withstood an NU rally to go up 2-0, winning the second set 25-18.

Both offenses perked up in the final set, as both teams finished with significantly more kills in the third than the first and second sets.  The Timberwolves were in good shape to force a fourth set, leading 23-20. But it was all SVSU the rest of the way, as the Cardinals scored the final five points to earn the win.  SVSU ended up hitting .217 in the third (15-5-46) while NU ended up at .132 (14-7-53).

For the match, SVSU hit .098 (37-24-133) compared to Northwood at .027 (31-27-146). The Cardinals ended up with a 69-67 edge in digs and a 10-7 advantage in blocks. Both teams ended up with three aces.

Krysta Kramer (Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge) led Northwood with nine kills. Colleen Mayer (Troy, Mich./Avondale) added five kills and five blocks. Birta Bjornsdottir (Kopavogur, Iceland) had a team-high 19 digs.

Northwood will host Lake Superior State Tuesday night (November 3). First serve is set for 7 p.m.