The
Northland women’s volleyball team went on the road this past Tuesday looking
for some strong play but ran into the Samsons of Gogebic Community College (GCC).
For the first time ever, GCC won with scores of 25-14, 25-19, 25-20, and 25-23. “We have
had a season of firsts a few times; we are determined to improve, though, and are
aiming at our regional tournament to have it together,” commented Coach Dave Herron.
Northland’s right side weakness was evident as a complete offense was missing.
GCC served well and kept the middle hitter position from being effective as well as preventing the Pioneers from scoring. Northland only hit .124% with
Marissa Hawley getting thirteen kills followed by Ellie Hodak with nine. The Northland
defense was inconsistent from the right side at the net and in the back row.
Ellie Hodak had thirty-five digs followed by Melissa Moisant with twenty-one.
On Friday
evening, the Lady Pioneers welcomed in the Blue Angels from Mt. Mary College (MMC),
an NCAA III independent team. The Lady Pioneers were playing in front of 200
high school athletes in for the annual high school volleyball and soccer tournament. Home court
favor was taken away in the first set in a close 20-25 loss. A lineup change
seemed to work in the second set as Northland led 14-7. This score increased
to 17-11; however, MMC came back aggressively, outscoring Northland 18-8 from this point to win 25-22. A missed
serve by a few defensive specialists fueled the Angel comeback, and the
Northland offense scored the last six points for MMC through hitting errors. Even with Ellie Hodak and Marissa Hawley gaining eight kills each, the
Lady Pioneers could not rebound and lost the third set 19-25 due to a weak defense and several serving errors. Coach Herron commented, “It was a bit
frustrating and maybe embarrassing to watch needless unforced errors be the
reason we lost. I am hoping we learn and turn it around for the Midwest Regional Tournament.”
The Lady
Pioneers travel to their annual Archer Invite at Moody this coming weekend, September 23 and 24. Coach Herron added, “Again the easy thing to do would be to give up. There
are no expectations or standards of winning that our community here holds us
to. We simply have to improve and support each other. God is not interested in
winning as much as the effort to be the
best with what is given.”