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 Mary Leverentz had an errorless game and four block assists on Friday. |
Sept. 29, 2006
DETROIT, Mich. - The Wayne State volleyball team (1-13, 1-8 GLIAC) dropped a 3-0 decision to Northern Michigan on Friday evening in conference play at the Matthaei.
The Wildcats swept the match by scores of 30-20, 30-18, and 30-26 to improve to 13-4 overall and 5-4 in the GLIAC.
Northern Michigan jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first game and never looked back. WSU pulled to within three at 18-15, but Northern took 12 of the last 17 points to go up by one.
Wayne State got some strong play at the net in game two, as Mary Leverentz (Three Rivers, Mich.) and Jordan Peek (Birch Run, Mich./Frankenmuth) each shared two blocks, with Peek adding a solo block, to narrow the Warriors' deficit at 14-8. Northern prevented Wayne State from gaining any momentum, however, and took the second game, 30-18.
Trailing 4-1 early in the third game, WSU came back to tie it at four and then took its first lead of the match at 6-5. They led by as many as four points, aided by another block and a kill from Leverentz as well as a service ace by Meg Leone (Troy, Mich.), before NMU tied the score at 15 apiece. The teams exchanged points until they were knotted at 21, when the Wildcats took nine of the final 15 points to seal the win.
Karri Kuczajda (Waterford, Mich./Chelsea) led the Warriors at the net with six block assists, while Leverentz added four and Peek three with a solo.
Miranda Robison (Coldwater, Mich.) just missed a double-double with 13 kills and nine digs. Michelle Bittner (Hamtramck, Mich./Regina) had a team-high 18 digs, and Kristi Pieper (Roseville, Mich./Fraser) recorded 16 digs.
Wayne State remains at home on Saturday as Michigan Tech comes to the Matthaei at 4:00 p.m.
Prior to the match, Wayne State Director of Athletics Rob Fournier (right) and Head Coach Ernie Gilbert presented former Warrior Elisa Joris with a plaque in recognition of her accomplishment as the 2005 NCAA Division II leader in blocks per game.
