ESCANABA, MI – The Norse Volleyball Team (4-3) enjoyed their home opening weekend by winning all three of their matches Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday they beat Gogebic Community College (0-2) 3-1. On Sunday they started the morning with a rematch of the Samsons, a match they won 2-1. For the finale it was a hard fought, well-earned victory over Alpena Community College (1-4) by a final of 2-1.
On Saturday afternoon the Norse came out of the gates slowly and allowed Gogebic to build a lead in the first set. Early errors and miscommunication plagued the home team, but they were able to regroup and get themselves back into the game. While they closed the gap to three on multiple occasions late, the Samsons would take the first set by a score of 21-25.
The second set was a dominating performance by the Norse. With Leah Allan (SO, Oconto, WI) serving, Bay rattled off 15 points before Gogebic could answer. The Norse also showed what their offense is capable of, committing just four attack errors while gathering up 12 kills in 31 attempts (.258 attack percentage). The Norse would cruise to a 25-8 victory in set number two.
The momentum stayed with the home team in the third. This time it was Amber Caylor (SO, Wausaukee, WI) leading the charge from the serving line with four aces in an early run to give Bay a big lead. Once again, Bay's attack was efficient. Nine kills in 28 attempts and just three errors was good for a .214 attack percentage, and Bay would hold on after a late Gogebic surge to win 25-18.
The early struggles returned in the fourth set. Bay committed seven attack errors and multiple ball handling errors to allow the Samsons to stick around. The score was tight down the stretch, but Bay was able to hold on for a 25-23 score in the final set.
The Norse definitely had some "up's and down's" in their first home match. While they ended up with 43 kills, 12 service aces, and 16 total blocks, they also committed 20 attacking errors, 13 service errors, and 13 ball handling errors.
Kylee Tadisch (SO, Coleman, WI) led the Norse offensively as she had 13 kills and a .235 attack percentage. She also tallied two solo blocks and four assisted blocks. Tianna Taylor (SO, Gwinn, MI) had nine kills and no errors for a .321 hitting percentage.
Caylor wound up with 25 assists and five service aces in the match. Tori Jandt (SO, Peshtigo, WI) showed why she was the MCCAA Defensive Player of the Week in the first week of competition by racking up 35 digs. Allan finished with 27 digs and five service aces.
The two teams faced each other again on Sunday morning, this time in a best of three format to fit within the timeframe allotted for the triangular. This time the Norse started strong as Leah Allan rattled off three consecutive aces and Bay jumped to a big lead. Bay put down eight kills in 18 attempts with no errors and rolled over the Samsons by a score of 25-10 in the first set.
Inconsistencies showed again in the second set. Ten attack errors marred the set for the home team as they found themselves fighting from behind. The Norse also had to fight through four serving errors and three ball handling errors. Despite that they managed to cut the lead late, before falling 25-22 in the second set.
With the third set going to 15, the Norse flipped the switch in the beginning and scored eight consecutive points before Gogebic could respond. Caylor piled up four aces during that run, and it put Bay in a comfortable position. The Samsons did respond and pushed their way back into the match, but the Norse were able to hold on to a 15-12 victory in the final set.
Allan led the way with six kills, four aces, and five digs. Taylor was incredibly efficient in her attack picking up five kills in eight attempts with no errors. Tadisch also had five kills.
Caylor had 16 assists and five aces, while Jandt finished with 17 digs.
The Norse found themselves in a thriller of a matchup to round out the weekend. The two teams played back and forth throughout the first set. Alpena's defense was spectacular, fending off shot after shot from Bay. The Norse had 50 attacks recorded in the first set, only landing 13 of them. Still they looked poised to take control when they were up 23-21 with the serve. Even with the Lumberjacks fighting back, the home team had a chance to end it with the score at 25-24, but Alpena rattled off three straight points to steal the first set by a final of 27-25.
ACC took an early lead in the first set, only to see Bay come roaring back for an 8-4 advantage. From there it was back and forth once again as neither team could really take control late. The Norse was once again looking to put a set away holding a 24-22 lead, but Alpena would put the pressure on again and tie the game up. This time Leah Allan and the Norse came up big in the end, with Allan putting together some key kills down the stretch, willing the Norse to a 26-24 victory.
In the deciding set the Norse put together one of their better attacks of the day. They landed nine kills in 17 attempts and had just one error. They would get service aces from Olyvia Saxton (FR, Ithaca, MI) and Madison Johnson (FR, Florence, WI). Bay pulled away late and ran away with a 15-7 win to take the match, 2-1.
Piper Monroe (FR, Menominee, MI) was big for Bay as she finished with eight kills in 17 attempts. Tadisch also had eight kills, just two errors, in 21 attack attempts to finish with a .286 hitting percentage. Emma Rutter (SO, Chatham, MI) had six kills and no errors in 16 attempts.
Caylor ended her match with 19 assists and five digs, while Johnson added 15 assists and three digs.
Allan not only came up big at times offensively with five kills, she led the Norse with 21 digs. Jandt would up with 13 digs.
The Norse will be on the road next weekend and will play in a triangular hosted by Milwaukee Area Tech on Friday. At noon they will have a rematch with Elgin Community College, a team they swept on August 20. They will then face the host Stormers at 7 pm. On Sunday the Norse will square off with Bryant and Stratton College (WI) at noon.