ALLENDALE — The Michigan Tech Huskies volleyball team dropped a pair of GLIAC matches over the weekend. They fell 3-0 on Friday to Wayne State, and then 3-1 Saturday to No. 13 Grand Valley State. With the losses, the Huskies fell to 11-9 overall and 5-5 in conference play.

The Huskies fell 3-1 Saturday to the Lakers despite taking the third set, 24-26, 18-25, 25-12, and 21-25.

“Today was way better than last night, but that’s not our standard,” Huskies coach Matt Jennings said. “We were in a position to win sets one and two, but didn’t finish. Grand Valley is an excellent team, they have all the pieces and haven’t lost but to undefeated Ferris (State). There were moments we were outplaying them and in control, but Grand Valley simply knows how to finish. We contained a pretty good offense for stretches and served very well. Paige was great for us in this one.

“We’ll turn our focus to Northern on Wednesday. It’s always a great battle, and we’re excited to have the match on our home court.”

There were nine ties and four lead changes in the first. Tech held a setpoint lead but surrendered three straight points as the Lakers took the lead. GVSU put down eight more kills than the Huskies in the second set and led by as many as seven to take a 2-0 lead at the break.

Tech responded in the third with a dominant 25-12 win. The Huskies put down 13 kills and forced the Lakers into eight errors and -.129 hitting. Four different Tech players had at least two kills — led by Meg Raabe and Rachel Zurek with four each.

GVSU (20-1, 9-1 GLIAC) closed out the match in the fourth. The teams were tied at 17 and the home team took the victory after an 8-4 run.

Raabe led the Huskies with 14 kills. Zurek (8), Jacqueline Yancy (7), Paige Wagner (7), and Kaycee Meiners (6) also contributed to a balanced offensive attack. Tess Hayes tallied 39 assists and 12 digs. Brynn Erickson was one short of a season-high with 16 digs. Amelia Albers (13) and Jacqueline Yancy (11) were also in double figures defensively.

HUSKIES SWEPT BY WARRIORS FRIDAY

DETROIT – The Huskies fell on Friday to the Warriors, who won in three sets, 25-17, 25-18, and 25-22, in their only meeting of the regular season.

“That performance was a major disappointment plain and simple,” Jennings said. “I feel like Meg (Raabe) and Kaycee (Meiners) were ready to play, but the rest of us were not. We’ll have to be better tomorrow.”

WSU jumped out to an early six-point lead and didn’t look back in the first. Raabe had four kills, but the Huskies couldn’t overcome a 15-7 kill advantage by the home team.

After four ties early in the second, the Warriors used an 11-3 run to take the lead and didn’t look back.Raabe put down seven kills in the second but the home team spread the offense around to six different players with at least two kills and took a 2-0 lead at the break.

The teams fought through nine ties and four lead changes in the third. The Huskies led 10-8 and 16-14 before Wayne State tied it at 17. The home team closed out the match with a 9-2 run. Kayla Giroux made it setpoint, and the Huskies had an attacking error to end it.

Raabe finished with a match-high 16 kills. Meiners notched five kills and four blocks. Zurek also added four blocks. Hayes set the offense with 28 assists while Erickson tallied 11 digs.

UP NEXT

The Huskies return to the SDC Gym to wrap up the home schedule, hosting Northern Michigan on Wednesday, Wisconsin-Parkside Friday, and Purdue Northwest Saturday on Senior Day.