Volleyball Posts 3-1 Win Over Ashland

The Northwood University volleyball team earned a 3-1 victory over Ashland Friday night (October 18).  Set scores were 25-21, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20.

Northwood is now 12-6 overall, 7-3 in the GLIAC.  Ashland falls to 13-5 overall, 7-3 in the GLIAC. The Timberwolves have now won 17 straight home matches, dating back to the end of the 2011 season.

After a pair of early runs in the first set, Ashland led 21-20 when the Timberwolves took control.  Northwood scored the final five points of the set, thanks in large part to four straight kills by the Timberwolves.  Both teams hit well in the set – Northwood finished at .375 (18-3-40) while Ashland hit .282 (13-2-39).

A 9-3 run midway through the second set for Northwood proved to be the key to the Timberwolves earning 2-0 lead.  The Timberwolves took an 8-7 lead and turned it into a 17-10 advantage. Ashland got no closer than four points the rest of the set.  Northwood continued their strong offense in the second set, hitting .353 (13-1-34).  Ashland registered a .205 mark in the set (14-5-44).

Ashland got off to a hot start in the third set, going up 7-2 early.  Northwood fought back and eventually took the lead 19-17 late.  The final moments of the set were back and forth, with both teams seemingly poised to earn the frame.  With the score tied at 23, Ashland earned a pair of kills to take the set.  The defenses performed better in the third – Ashland hit .143 (14-7-49) while Northwood finished at .077 (12-8-52).

Northwood was the better team late in the fourth set to earn the win.  The Timberwolves led 19-18 when NU earned six of the next eight points to close out the match. NU's defense came up big in the final set, holding Ashland to a .025 mark (8-7-40).  Northwood hit .186 in the frame (15-7-43).

For the match, the Timberwolves hit .231 (58-19-169) while Ashland finished at .163 (49-21-172). NU finished with an 8-5 advantage in aces and an 85-78 edge in digs.  AU held an 8-7 advantage in blocks.

Northwood got strong efforts by number of players, led by Juliia Pakhomenko (Donetsk, Ukraine), who finished with 21 kills.  Krysta Kramer (Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge) and Cassandra Marsh (Maumee, Ohio) each finished with 10 kills, while Ally Hoomiain (Novi, Mich.) added nine kills.  Kristin Perschon (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant) had seven kills and five blocks. Kramer led five Timberwolves who finished in double-figures in digs with 19.

Northwood will host Lake Erie Saturday afternoon (October 18).  Match time is set for 4 p.m.