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ASHLAND, OH -- Courtesy:  NMU

The Northern Michigan volleyball team had a rough start to its six-match road trip, losing in three straights sets to Ashland University. The Eagles took set one by a nine-point margin (25-16) but the ‘Cats battled to keep it close in sets two (25-23) and three (25-23).

The Eagles outscored the ‘Cats 12-4 in the middle of the first set to gain control after the score was tied at five. NMU had 11 kills and eight errors in the first set. The Eagles had 10 kills and only three errors.

NMU had a 12-11 lead in the middle of the second set. The teams rallied back and forth to an 18-all tie before Ashland took five straight points to gain control of the set before the break. NMU had 11 kills and four errors to the Eagles 17 kills and eight errors.

The ‘Cats found themselves down again in the middle of the third set.

Becca Feuerherd served NMU to four points and drew within two (18-16) with the help of an ace and an Ellen Lemos kill. Lemos and Emma Wolfe added kills late but it was too little too late for the ‘Cats as Ashland sealed the victory with three kills in a row.

NMU is now 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Ashland moved to 5-3 and 3-1 in the GLIAC.

NMU had 35 kills, 18 attack errors and had a hitting percentage of .173.

NMU entered the weekend at the bottom of the GLIAC in blocking. The ‘Cats didn’t record a block.

Ashland had 42 kills, 16 attack errors and hit .241 percent.

Emma Wolfe was the lone Wildcat with double digit kills, recording 15.

Ellen Lemos and Sarah Hamilton had five kills each. Kalin Zimmerman led the team with 16 digs. Abby Lovell had 35 assists.

Brittany Snider had 15 kills for the Eagles. Crystal Elliot had 39 assists and Kate Eckels had 16 digs.

The ‘Cats get back to action on Saturday (Sept. 17) as they travel to Lake Erie College. The Storm defeated Michigan Tech in five sets on Friday night. Match time is set for 2 p.m.