UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team battled Northern Michigan in a five-set thriller on Friday night at Hamilton Gymnasium, falling just short in its second straight GLIAC home contest.

The Wildcats topped the Cardinals (6-7, 2-2 GLIAC) by scores of 25-19, 13-25, 25-18, 25-27, and 15-9. Rachel Townsend (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS) led the way with a career-high 27 kills while hitting .367. She added 16 digs, three service aces, and two block assists for 31 points in the match. She posted her third double-double of the year and fourth of her career. Chloe Vanwinkle (Clio, Mich. / Clio HS) followed with 14 kills and two aces, while Ava Decker (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart HS) tallied 11 kills, an ace, and two blocks while hitting .429. Jackie Scheiber (Wyandotte, Mich. / Riverview Community HS) guided the offense with a career-high 54 assists and added a service ace, while Liz Bruschuk (Villa Park, Ill. / Willowbrook HS) anchored the back row with 25 digs.

SVSU finished with 63 kills, nine aces, 76 digs, and 5.0 total blocks, while hitting .225 as a team.

Set One (19–25)

Northern Michigan opened strong, building a 9–5 lead early. Townsend sparked a rally with three straight kills to bring the set within one, but the Wildcats pushed ahead with a 6-0 run to take an 18-10 lead. SVSU battled with a 7-2 run with kills by Vanwinkle and Decker but couldn't tie the set up with a block giving NMU the one-set advantage.

Set Two (25–13)

The Cardinals responded with their best set of the night as both teams traded a point and then SVSU went on a 13-0 run to go ahead 14-1. Townsend tallied six kills in the frame, Vanwinkle added three, and SVSU served three aces en route to a 25–13 win to even the match.

Set Three (18–25)

A back-and-forth set swung late, as SVSU took a late 17-16 lead. NMU rattled off a 4-0 run to go ahead 20-17 and then a 5-0 run to win the set after a kill from Decker.

Set Four (27–25)

SVSU forced a deciding set with a dramatic finish. A clutch block by Townsend and Decker tied at 22-22, before Townsend and Kendall Ihm (Owosso, Mich. / Owosso HS) got kills to put SVSU ahead 25-24. A Cardinal attack error tied the set but a service error by the Wildcats followed by an Ace from Townsend forced a fifth set.

Set Five (9–15)

Northern Michigan controlled the final set, taking a 7–3 lead early and never looking back. Townsend added four more kills, but the Wildcats hit .333 in the frame to close the match.

Up Next: Saginaw Valley continues GLIAC play at home against Michigan Tech on Saturday, October 4. First serve is set for 4:00 PM from Hamilton Gymnasium in University Center, Mich.