Northland International University

After hosting Lakeland College on a Thursday night, the NI team traveled south to the Milwaukee area for a tri-match with UWGB and host Concordia University (CUW) in Glendale, Wisconsin. On Friday evening, March 11, the Pioneers entered the Buuck Fieldhouse for the first time ever. “We appeared weary, but that is part of it. We need to be ready all the time; concentration and execution is not just a switch you flip on as a competitor,” mentioned Coach Herron.

The first match of the evening was UWGB—the team that sits one spot ahead of NI in the WVC DII standings. UWGB had just taken the host in a 3–1 match and appeared confident. “I could tell by watching the initial match of the evening that there would be plenty of opportunities to lose focus on the goal of being successful!” The Phoenix controlled play from the outset and took the first two sets, 25–16 and 25–19. The Pioneers had trouble scoring against the solid defense of UWGB and seemed out of rhythm, trying to accommodate for the “interpretation of play.” In set three the score was close up to a 13–12 lead for NI. The Pioneers engineered some good offense and took a 22–19 lead on aggressive offense by Micah Herron, Steven Yates, and Isaac Cummins. From this point the Phoenix rotated into one of their strong rotations and had some “fortunate breaks” come their way, outscoring NI 5–2 to win set three, 26–24, and to walk out of the gym wishing the Pioneers good luck in the next match. 

The last match of the evening pitted the visiting Pioneers against a quickly improving Falcon team. “CUW took a match from Marquette in the last play date and was very comfortable in their own facility. We knew that we would be playing against a motivated CUW team,” commented senior co-captain Justin Delizo. NI started very strong with a 17–10 lead in set one. A series of strong plays at the net gave a 23–14 score to NI. A Falcon hitting error, followed by an Andrew Summers ace, gave set one to NI, 25–14. Set two had the Falcons enjoy some unusual points, which came their way, along with a 14–11 lead. While NI waited for something to happen in their favor, the Falcons kept playing and got a 20–14 lead. NI closed the score to 16–23, 18–23, and 21–23, but CUW hung tough and won set two, 25–23. Set three was all CUW and then some; as Coach Herron and his team attempted to figure out how to play the game, set three went to the Falcons, 25–21. 

“I was challenged between sets to ‘focus on my job.’ My team came to my defense, and we took control at the beginning of set four,” commented Coach Herron. Setter Andrew Schilling started to connect with the hitters, and the Pioneer offense terminated play and any chance of misinterpretation. NI gained leads of 17–13 and 22–19. A kill by Andrew Summers and consecutive blocks by Micah Herron helped the Pioneers to win, 25–19. Set four saw NI relaxed and focused, and they took an 8–2 lead on the court switch. Swings by Yates,  Herron, Cummins, and Summers found the floor or strayed off the Falcon block, and NI won, taking the match, 15–4. Coach Herron summarized afterward, “I relearned a lesson I have had a few times during my coaching years. I need to concentrate on what I can control and not try to change that which I cannot. I erred, and it almost cost us a win!”