ESCANABA, MI – After a strong start to the season, the Bay College Norse Volleyball Team (8-12) have hit a rough patch. After being swept in straight sets by Milwaukee Area Tech (12-12) on Monday night the Norse have lost four in a row and eight of their last nine.
Milwaukee Area Tech gave Bay no time to settle in as they took control early in the first set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. They would extend the gap to ten points before the Norse finally responded. The home team finally rattled off a run of four, closing the score to 18-13, and rallied late, forcing MATC to take a timeout with a slim 22-18 lead. The break in the action was what the Stormers needed to close out the first set however, winning by a final of 25-19.
The late rally in the first seemed to propel the Norse into the second set as the early going was a back-and-forth battle. Amber Caylor (FR, Wausaukee, WI) helped take the lead with back-to-back aces from the service line, but the Stormers kept it tight, tying the game at 18. The attack errors piled up on the Norse in the second set, allowing Milwaukee Area Tech took control from that point, rattling off five points to force a Bay timeout. The Norse could not get back into the fight, dropping the second set 25-21. Bay ended up with a negative attack percentage in the frame.
Milwaukee Are Tech looked as if they would roll to a third set victory early on. After finding themselves down by as many as six, the Norse cut the lead to three on multiple occasions. The home team seemed to run out of gas late in the set as the Stormers ended up taking the set by a final of 25-16.
It was the third matchup between the two teams. Bay took the first matchup in the opening weekend tournament, but MATC got their revenge on their homecourt on Sept. 2. All three matches between the two teams ended up in three set sweeps.
Kylee Tadisch (FR, Coleman, WI) had a solid performance for the Norse, as she converted eight of 17 kill attempts and compiled a .294 hitting percentage. She also was credited with a solo block. Tori Jandt (FR, Peshtigo, WI) tallied 14 digs, while Leah Allan (FR, Oconto, WI) added ten. Caylor amassed 23 assists and five aces in the match.
The task does not get easier for the Norse as they continue conference play this weekend. On Friday they will head to Muskegon Community College who boasts an 18-6 overall record. On Saturday the Norse square off with the #17 ranked team in NJCAA Division 2 Grand Rapids Community College. The Raiders and their impressive front line are undefeated in conference play and have a 14-2 record. Both teams swept Bay in straight sets in Escanaba just a few weeks ago.