Helen Beiring celebrates during a match against Ferris State this season.

By DAVER KARNOSKY

dkarnosky@mininggazette.com

BIG RAPIDS — With a 3-1 win in the quarterfinals over Wisconsin-Parkside at home on Wednesday, the Northern Michigan Wildcats volleyball team earned a trip to the GLIAC semifinals against Grand Valley State.

Sophomore outside hitter Helen Beiring did not play in the match, but she has been a huge part of what the WIldcats accomplished already this season. With 101 kills, she nearly improved her attack numbers by almost five times what she had done as a freshman.

“It’s just so much fun being on the court and playing with all the girls that are on the court,” she said. “It’s very motivating when I get to sub in, and then I’m knowing that I get to help the team make some points and make a difference. It’s really good. It’s just really fun.”

The Calumet native has spent the year learning alongside senior Jacqueline Smith, who has been the focal point of the Wildcats’ offense throughout her career in Marquette.

“She’s, obviously, such a huge role model, not only to me, but like everybody on our team,” Beiring said. “She’s very positive and has a very calm presence on the court, which, especially with some of us younger players, she has a lot more experience than us, so she kind of is able to carry us through the highs and lows.”

Beiring did not plan on Northern being the right fit for her. She had actually wanted to follow in her sister’s footsteps and leave the Upper Peninsula for college.

“I wasn’t really like, I want to go to Northern. I want to go to Northern,” she said. “I kind of wanted to get away from the U.P., but then the opportunity just came to me, and I just said, ‘Yeah.’ I honestly could not be more happy to be here. It’s a dream.”

Being at Northern, of course, carries its advantages for Beiring.

“It’s so nice to get to see my parents every weekend,” she said. “My grandma loves coming to watch. It’s just awesome.”

Unlike her father, older brother, and sister, Beiring chose to play volleyball instead of hockey.

“It’s actually funny,” she said. “I also get that question a lot. I don’t know. My parents just said that, obviously, there’s three other ones that are in hockey, and then I was the last one because I’m the baby. They said I just never showed too much interest, and they kind of had too much of it. They didn’t need another one in hockey. Three was enough.”

Beiring found a lot of success in high school with the Copper Kings.

“Obviously, to start off, I was lucky enough to have Ms. (Kate) Bonacorsi as my coach for four years,” said Beiring. “She was a big reason that I am here at Northern now. She’s very supportive, and always knew that I would make it to the next level. But, back in high school, I feel like I was just able to be a leader, and a big role model, for a lot of the younger girls. I feel like that motivated them a lot to invest in volleyball and the program. They’re doing really good.”

The Copper Kings recently won the D3 District 65 title before falling in the Region 17 finals to Traverse City St. Fracis. As a member of the Copper Kings, Beiring won WestPAC Player of the Year as a junior and again as a senior. She was also First Team All-State and All-Region her junior and senior years as well. She was also All-Conference First Team for each of her last three years. She is proud of the fact that she played a big part in making coaches and media members from downstate take notice of what U.P. kids were capable of.

“Being from the U.P., not as many people are watching you,” she said. “So when, your name gets called up on one of those, you feel proud of yourself that you are as good as other girls that are downstate, getting all this attention. Everybody’s watching and knows of them. But, being from the U.P., you’re kind of just hidden, so that makes you feel good.”

As a freshman at Northern, Beiring saw action in only 10 matches, picking up 22 kills. Beiring admits that she had a learning curve when she arrived on campus.

“Everybody that’s on the team has been the best of the best on their high school team,” she said. “So (we’re all) kind of in the same boat. But, when I wasn’t getting in, I didn’t really have a problem with that. Just being here and knowing my role, being the supportive teammate and that kind of stuff. I knew that I’d get my chance on the court, so I just did my thing, did the things that I could do when I was off the court.”

That hard work paid off months later, as this year, she has played in 24 matches and she has averaged 1.42 kills per set.

“It obviously starts from a lot of hard work, and showing up ready to work every day in the gym,” she said. “Showing up every day to practice. It’s always a competition between each position, and who’s going to get in this weekend. (I) kind of like that. I also feel like it’s not only about your skill that’s going to get you on the court, but kind of your attitude, and your presence that you have on the court.”

Even her coach, Mike Lozier, has been impressed with how well she has adjusted in her second season.

“We brought her in last year not knowing what she was going to do,” he said. “She was going to contribute on the floor and she’s a workhorse. She’s the one that comes in every day for extra work, or doing film to get better, and has just such a great attitude whether she’s on the court or not. So we love Helen. Wouldn’t trade her for anything right now.”

She set a new career-high for kills in a match in the team’s seventh match this season when she racked up 12 against St. Cloud State.

“That game against St. Cloud, obviously, they’re ranked very high, so we kind of just went into it (knowing) they’re going to get their good stuff, and we just got to work hard to get our good stuff,” said Beiring. “So, it’s really focused on hitting the ball hard, and just not being afraid of making mistakes. Then, once you start playing like that, you’re kind of unstoppable.”

On Oct. 30, Beiring had seven kills in a win over Michigan Tech at the SDC Gym, which was a fantastic moment for her, playing essentially at home in front of friends and family alike.

“Oh, it’s so fun,” she said. “Obviously going, even on our bus ride, I’m just picturing everybody up in the stands. Then you get there, and people start rolling in, and you start seeing friends, family, and it just makes you feel really good and just that everybody’s supporting you and rooting for you.

“Whenever we’re playing them, you just get that extra rush, your blood is flowing, and you just want to beat them.”

UP NEXT

The Wildcats will face the Lakers Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in BIg Rapids. The winner will face the winner of No. 1 Ferris State and Michigan Tech.