HOUGHTON — With a pair of matchups against teams they have already seen this season, the Michigan Tech Huskies volleyball team has a chance to break out of the GLIAC logjam where five teams are currently separated by just one match.

The Huskies come into the weekend after playing a tough three-match week that saw them lose in three sets to Northern Michigan Tuesday before topping Lake Superior State in four sets on Friday, and losing to GLIAC-leading Ferris State 3-0 on Saturday.

“We came out (of the weekend) somewhat intact,” said coach Matt Jennings. “I think we definitely won the game we needed to. I’ll chalk up Ferris State as a loss to an exceptional opponent. I mean, (they are) nationally ranked for a reason, undefeated in our conference for a reason.

“We’re capable of beating a lot of good teams. We’re just trying to put together match by match.”

The Huskies (5-10 overall, 3-4 GLIAC) got a huge boost in the form of sophomore right side hitter Meg Raabe, who doubled her total matches played over the course of the week. On Tuesday, she had 13 kills against the Wildcats. She then had 16 in the win over the Lakers, and eight in the loss to the Bulldogs.

“(You) certainly wouldn’t have noticed, or known, that she was a player out there this weekend that has just started playing this year,” Jennings said. “I’ve said this since the day we met her on her recruiting visit, and all through last season, her first year, and going into this year, that Meg makes us a better team.”

A six-rotation player when healthy, Jennings feels that there is little missing from her game when she is healthy.

“Megan’s just good at volleyball,” he said. “She has good touch. She has good timing. She has smart shots. She can play both pins. She’s a good passer, and she’s just an incredible human being. So, anytime Megan’s on the court, our chances are better.”

Jennings feels that she is still growing into a leader.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing her grow into her leadership role,” he said. “It’s easy to forget that she’s only a sophomore, considering how much she put in last year as a freshman.”

While the offense is coming as Raabe continues to progress through her recovery from a preseason injury, the team’s defense remains a work-in-progress. Jennings is still searching for the right combination in the back court to make the team less predictable offensively and more sound defensively. With senior defensive specialist Kate Walch still sidelined, for the most part, with an injury suffered during the season-opening tournament in Marquette, the Huskies are relying on sophomore outside hitter Brooke Dzwik to lead a group that includes freshman libero Amelia Albers, sophomore transfer Alayna Corwin, freshman defensive specialist Brynn Erickson and freshman setter Tess Hayes.

Dzwik has the most experience of that entire group.

“It’s not about their ability,” Jennings said. “It’s certainly not about their ability, or their work ethic. I don’t want people to mistake some of that for lack of effort or hustle, because, too often, people, I think, tie those two words to volleyball in a way that’s maybe a little inaccurate. The game is so fast. It’s a bang-bang game. What they’re doing back there is incredibly hard.

“Just because you hit the floor, does not mean you’ve hustled more, or played better defense. It’s about reading. It’s about anticipating. It’s about making a move, and trusting what you see, catching up to the speed of the game, and coordinating with your front row block.”

Despite the youth and inexperience of the back court, Jennings feels like players are getting closer to turning the corner. He pointed out how he is beginning to see just that from Albers.

“I want to say that I believe in Amelia Albers,” he said. “I think that she has the goods. We are working on showing her as much confidence as we can, and consistency, as she needs. I see her gaining confidence in her ability every day.”

SCOUTING THE PRIDE

The Pride come into Friday night’s matchup 9-6 on the season and 4-3 in conference play. They are coming off a split against Saginaw Valley State, whom they beat 3-1, and Grand Valley State, whom they lost to, 3-2, on Saturday. The Huskies did defeat them in five sets on the road Saturday, Sept. 23.

What makes the Pride a scary opponent week in and week out is their service game, where they have 146 aces on the season. They average 2.3 aces per set.

They are led by freshman outside hitter Anika Huelskamp, who has a team-high 164 kills. She also has 31 aces or an average of .49 per set.

Their second most dangerous server is sophomore defensive specialist Livia Thomsen, who has 25 aces. They also have three more players with 20 or more aces this season.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS

The Rangers also come into this weekend 9-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. They are coming off a tough weekend where they lost to Grand Valley State on Friday and Wayne State on Saturday by similar 3-0 scores.

They are led offensively by sophomore outside hitter Ava Irvin, who has 155 kills this season. Freshman middle blocker Sam Fisch has also been strong, scoring 125 kills and she is second on the team in blocks with 37.

The Huskies lost to the Rangers, 3-1, back on Friday, Sept. 22, on the road.

MUST-WINS

Jennings admits that he did not expect to lose to the Rangers earlier this season, and he plans to have the team ready to avenge that loss this weekend.

“I didn’t expect a Parkside loss on the road going into the season,” he said. “I hate saying this, but these are games we need to get. These are ones we need to win.”

GAME TIMES

The Huskies and Pride will face off on Friday. Opening serve is set for 6 p.m. at the SDC Gym. Saturday, the Huskies and Rangers are set to start at 3 p.m.