The No. 7 ranked Ferris State volleyball team traveled to the Upper Peninsula to face off against divisional opponents in the Michigan Tech Huskies and the Northern Michigan Wildcats.
The Bulldogs (11-0, 4-0 in the GLIAC) soundly beat Michigan Tech (6-5, 2-2 in the GLIAC) by a score of 3-0 on Friday, Sept. 27. The Bulldogs also defeated Northern Michigan (7-4, 3-1 in the GLIAC) on Saturday, Sept. 28 by a score of 3-1.
The Bulldogs kept the ball rolling with another win against a divisional opponent in the Huskies who made it to the GLIAC semifinals but fell to Grand Valley. Last season the Bulldogs split the season matches against the Huskies, winning their first matchup 3-0 but losing late in the season to the Huskies 3-2.
Ferris dominated this match, they swept all three sets of this match winning the first set by a score of 25-19, the second set’s score being 25-22, and then the final set’s score being 25-21. Senior outside hitter Olivia Henneman-Dallape led the team again in kills with 18 and 19.5 points, senior setter Kaylee Maat led the match with 25 assists and 11 digs, while senior outside hitter Claire Nowicki and senior middle hitter Syann Fairfield both had six kills.
Fairfield spoke about her performance and how the team worked together.
“I was able to make sure our blockers were all doing the right things and working hard together to try and stop their key attackers,” said Fairfield “Together as a team we worked really hard on our scout and making sure we were able to adapt to what they were bringing at us.”
The Bulldogs then faced off against the Northern Michigan Wildcats, who the Bulldogs have not lost to since 2021, kept their winning streak against the Wildcats alive. The Bulldogs lost the first set to the Wildcats by a score of 25-22, but then won the next three straight sets, winning set two dominantly 25-10, set three by a score of 29-27, and then finishing off the Wildcats in set four with a score of 25-19.
Henneman-Dallape once again led the team in kills with 22 and with points with 26, freshman outside hitter Gabby Piazza also had 12 kills and 14 points in the match, with Maat again leading the team in assists with 44.
Maat gave the keys on how to keep the momentum going forward.
“We plan on keeping the momentum going forward by just taking one day at a time as well as getting 1% better every day,” said Maat. “Whether that is in the gym, in the weight room, or in the classroom.”
The Bulldogs have lost a combined five sets through their 11-game win-streak. Ferris is chasing their best start since the 2015 season where they started 12-0.
Henneman-Dallape gave her thoughts about the Bulldogs start to the season.
“I am really proud of our team, I think we work really hard to get better every single day and just take is one game at a time,” Henneman-Dallape said. “I’m proud of us winning, but I think I am more proud of us sticking together and never giving up no matter what the score is, I know that winning or losing during any set that we’re going to compete at the same intensity.”
The Bulldogs will have traveled to Midland to face off against the Northwood Timberwolves on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and will have their home opener game against the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers on Friday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.