Ferris State Volleyball Sweeps LSSU In Conference Road Match

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — Ferris State University swept Lake Superior State University 25-17, 25-11, 25-16 on Saturday (Oct. 11) at the James Norris Center in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Bulldogs dominated with a .283 hitting percentage compared to the Lakers' .001. Ferris State also recorded five service aces and six total blocks, securing a decisive victory.

Ferris State opened the first set strongly against the Lakers, establishing an early lead with a series of critical plays. Emma Bleecher and Logyn Geren played pivotal roles, with Bleecher earning multiple kills, including one at 5-2 and again at 14-6, assisted by Hayley Wegener. Geren contributed with a service ace at 4-2 and a decisive kill to close the set at 25-17. Lake Superior State struggled with errors throughout, including service errors that contributed to Ferris State's advantage. Despite a late rally by the Lakers, capped by Vanessa Swerdon's service ace at 24-16, the Bulldogs secured the set with a strong finish.

FSU dominated the second set against Lake Superior State, securing a decisive 25-11 victory. Gabby Piazza led the charge with multiple kills, contributing significantly to the Bulldogs' early momentum. Bleecher and Geren added to the offensive onslaught with key kills, while Wegener's consistent setting facilitated the team's success. Dylann Kelly capped off the set with a service ace, ensuring the Bulldogs' commanding lead was maintained throughout. The Bulldogs capitalized on errors by the Lakers, converting them into points to close the set efficiently.

Ferris State began the third set with a strong performance from Emily May, who scored four kills early on, helping her team to a 4-2 lead. The Lakers responded with Elisa Rizzoli contributing multiple kills to level the score at 5-5. However, Ferris State pulled ahead with consistent offensive pressure, highlighted by Wegener and May, extending their lead to 17-11. Despite service errors from both sides, Ferris State capitalized on the Lakers' attack errors, reaching a decisive 25-16 set win with Maddy Vaara securing the final point with a kill from Wegener's assist.

Bleecher led the Bulldogs with nine kills on 23 attempts, recording a .348 hitting percentage and adding eight digs. May contributed 11 kills on 21 attempts, hitting at a .429 clip. Wegener orchestrated the offense with 32 assists while also achieving 10 digs and two total blocks. Hope Davies was pivotal on defense, collecting 15 digs across the match.

Valeriya Varnakova contributed significantly on defense for the Lakers with eight digs across three games. Swerdon was pivotal in setting up plays, recording nine assists, while also adding a service ace to her stats. Morgan Deming led the team in kills with four, maintaining a hitting percentage of .133, and contributed one dig. Rizzoli was a key offensive player, leading the team with six kills and adding nine digs, amassing a total of six points for her efforts.

Ferris State holds a record of 13-4 overall and 8-1 in the GLIAC Lake Superior State remains winless at 0-12 overall and 0-8 in GLIAC play.

The Bulldogs will take part in the Midwest Region Crossover next weekend in Hammond, Ind.