#5 Ferris State Moves One Step Closer To GLIAC North Championship With Dominating Victory

Big Rapids, Mich. - The nationally fifth-ranked Ferris State University women's volleyball squad moved one step closer to a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship as the Bulldogs rolled past Lake Superior State in a 3-0 sweep on Friday (Nov. 6) in a special noon match at the Ewigleben Sports Arena.

The Bulldogs won their 25th match of the campaign with a dominating 25-13, 25-7 and 25-11 triumph over the winless Lakers, who fell to 0-22 on the year.

Ferris State posted a .274 attack figure and limited LSSU to a -.161 showing in the match played before a large crowd of young fans during the school day event. Ferris State tallied 35 kills and only 12 errors on 84 total attacks while utilizing 14 different players in the match.

FSU improved to 25-2 overall and 14-1 in the GLIAC with the victory. Senior outside hitter Megan Vander Meer recorded a match-high 11 kills in pacing the Bulldogs. She also had nine digs in the winning effort.

Along with Vander Meer, redshirt freshman Maria Kronner netted five kills and senior middle hitter Caroline Heitzman had four on the afternoon. 

The Bulldogs received 10 digs from senior libero Danielle Dowd. Along with Vander Meer, senior hitter Alexis Huntey also had nine digs with freshman Katie Placek adding five overall. Junior setter Stephanie Sikorski paced FSU with 20 assists.

Ferris State totaled 40 digs with six service aces and nine total blocks to go with only five service mistakes. Meanwhile, LSSU posted 34 digs, three blocks and an ace with four service errors.
Lake Superior State, which had only 13 kills and 27 errors on 87 total attempts, was led by Jena Tulgestke with five kills. Justice Kjolhede added 12 digs.

Ferris State will next host the Northwood Timberwolves in the Bulldogs' regular-season home finale on Saturday (Nov. 7) beginning at 3 p.m. (ET). Ferris State, which has already clinched a GLIAC Tournament berth, can officially win the GLIAC North Division crown outright with a victory on Saturday. 

Saturday will be Senior Day as the Bulldogs honor and recognize four senior student-athletes prior to their final regular-season home contests. The talented group includes outside hitters Alexis Huntey (Stanwood/Morley-Stanwood) and Megan Vander Meer (Grand Rapids) along with middle hitter Caroline Heitzman (Newayo) and libero Danielle Dowd (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central). All four have been mainstays in the Bulldog lineup in recent years.

Along with the Senior Day presentation, FSU will also welcome prospective university students during the admissions' office Dawg Days event.

In the past five years, the Bulldogs have now compiled a 125-29 overall record, which includes a 80-8 mark in GLIAC regular season action. A GLIAC North Division title this season would represent the Bulldogs' third in the five-year span and the squad has also reached at least the NCAA Regional Semifinals each of the past four years, including an NCAA-II Elite Eight appearance and regional crown in 2013.

The Bulldogs have been dominate at home where they are now 12-0 at the Ewigleben Sports Arena this season. FSU has currently won 33 of its last 34 home encounters, including 21-straight, and owns a 58-7 mark at home dating back to the start of the 2011 season.

Along with this week's number five national ranking, the Bulldogs are also listed first in the initial NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Rankings, which will help determine the teams receiving bids for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the year.