Northern Michigan University’s Meghan Meyer, left, jumps to spike a ball with teammate Allie Barlow, center, watching during a college volleyball match played against Findlay and held at the newly expanded Vandament Arena in Marquette on Sept. 12. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University volleyball team will play its long-awaited second and third home matches of the season this weekend when the Wildcats host GLIAC matches at the newly expanded Vandament Arena tonight and Saturday afternoon.

NMU has built a 6-3 overall record almost entirely on the road, which includes last weekend’s conference opening matches for a 2-0 record in the GLIAC.

Northern’s only previous match at Vandament, on Sept. 12 when the renovations were dedicated, was actually a loss to nonconference and former GLIAC member Findlay.

The Wildcats host Davenport at 6:30 p.m. today for Alumni Day before entertaining Ferris State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday that will also include a 30th anniversary celebration of NMU’s 1994 national championship team.

Both matches will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while fans can also follow @NMU_Volleyball and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates throughout the weekend. Or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the volleyball schedule for links to a box score, match recap and a history of the individual series.

“We came off of tournament play feeling really good,” Northern assistant coach Sarah Kuehn said subbing for head coach Mike Lozier. “We played some tough opponents and we got what we needed out of nonconference play.

“Growth has been a big part of our season so far and we’re going to continue to see that growth.”

Senior middle blocker Meghan Meyer was the star of last weekend’s three-set win at Wisconsin-Parkside and five-set victory at Purdue Northwest, gaining her the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honor.

She made nine blocks, five of them solo, including six against Parkside, her season high and one off her career best for a match. She also reached double digits in kills both days, including a season-high 14 kills vs. Purdue NW and a .643 attack percentage vs. Parkside, the second-best mark in the entire league for the weekend.

Career-wise, Meyer has an impressive .349 attack percentage while she looks for her 1,000th kill later in the season as she is currently at 915.

Another senior, outside hitter Jacqueline Smith, leads NMU this season with 131 kills, also fourth in the GLIAC. And her 1,602 career kills are just 62 behind Northern all-time leader Andrea Gommans’ 1,664. The 1,602 kills are second among NCAA Division II active players, trailing only the 1,659 of Kenzie Foley of St. Cloud State, a team the Wildcats upset in five sets in Houghton on Sept. 14.

Smith made 27 kills vs. Truman State, a career high for her and conference high this fall.

Junior teammate and middle blocker McKenzie Gruner is second for NMU in kills with 84 and points per set with 2.64, both only trailing Smith.

Sophomore setter Allie Barlow is tied for the GLIAC lead with 18 service aces and second in the league with 350 assists.

Today’s opponent, Davenport, is a modest 2-8 overall and 0-2 in the GLIAC, ranking fifth in the league in blocks per set with 1.80. Abby Alan’s 107 and Rachel Youngblood’s 91 kills lead the Panthers, while Hayley Carr’s 148 digs are third in the conference.

Last year, NMU and Davenport split their matches, Northern winning in five sets in Marquette and DU prevailing in four in Grand Rapids.

Saturday’s foe, Ferris State, is ranked No. 7 nationally at 9-0 and 2-0. The Bulldogs started the year No. 18 as they return GLIAC Setter of the Year Kaylee Maat and GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year Olivia Henneman-Dallape.

Henneman-Dallape is now ninth in the nation in kills per set at 4.58 and has been named conference Offensive Player of the Week all three weeks this season. And Maat has been Setter of the Week twice already.

FSU leads the GLIAC with 12.55 assists per set, 15.94 digs per set, 14.13 kills per set and a .273 attack percentage. Nationally, the Bulldogs also rank 13th in hitting percentage and 15th in kills per set.

Northern lost both matches in three sets to Ferris a year ago.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.