PETOSKY, MI – The Norse Volleyball Team (1-6) picked up their first win of the season on Thursday evening, defeating the Alpena Lumberjacks (0-3) in in five sets.  They did not have as much luck on Friday, losing a morning match to North Central Michigan College (4-3) in three sets and suffering the same fate against Kellogg Community College (5-0) in the afternoon.

The young Norse team found themselves in a battle against Alpena on Thursday afternoon.  Attack errors plagued them in the first set, as they hit at just a .154% and lost 25-23.  They bounced back with 15 kills, just two errors, in 21 attempts to pick up the second set by a score of 27-25.  They looked to be in control when they took the third set 25-22, but Alpena fought back in the fourth, taking that one 25-21 to force the fifth set.  Nine kills on 19 attempts ended up being just enough, as Bay took the final set 15-12.

Piper Monroe (SO, Menominee, MI) led the Norse with 17 kills and a .519 attack percentage.  She also had four solo blocks.  Mia Hauser (FR, Wallace, MI) picked up ten kills and had eight digs.  Ema Stepien (FR, Crystal Falls, MI) finished with nine kills and five digs, while Addie Morton (FR, Ishpeming, MI) had a .533 attack percentage and had eight kills in 15 attempts with no errors.

Kayla Swanson (FR, Wallace, MI) had a remarkable 45 assists in the matchup and 14 digs.  Hilarie Pocaro (FR, Sualt Ste. Marie, MI) led the defense with 18 digs.

The host team North Central Michigan was nowhere near as kind to Bay on Friday morning, pounding them to a tune of 25-11, 25-13, and 25-16.  Attack errors plagued the Norse throughout, as they had three in the first set, seven in the second set, and four in the third.  The third set was their most efficient, with just a .261 attack percentage. Meanwhile the Timberwolves registered double-digit kills in each set, had an attack percentage above .300 in each set, and ended with 14 kills in 26 attempts with just one error in the third and final set.

Monroe ended up with seven kills and a .364 attack percentage.  Morton was very efficient, with five kills in seven attempts, while Stepien picked up five kills as well.  Swanson had 17 assists while Jade Jasenovsky (FR, Menominee, MI) had 14 digs.

The Norse attack was much more efficient in the final game of the weekend for them, but they were still not able to produce a winning set.  Kellogg swept Bay by scores of 25-14, 25-22, and 25-20.  The Norse committed just two attack errors in each of the first two sets, and hit at a .409 percentage in the second match, but Kellogg ended up winning all three of their matches and being named the tournament champions for their effort.

Monroe led the team once again in kills, this time picking up eight with a .462 attack percentage.   Stepien and Olyvia Saxton (SO, Ithaca, MI) each had six kills.  Swanson picked up 26 assists in the match.  Pocaro led the team with 12 digs.

The next match for the Norse will be their home opener on September 6 when they host Gogebic Community College.  That match will start at 6:30 pm.