Bulldogs Return To GLIAC Tournament Final With Win Over Wayne State

Houghton, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's volleyball will return to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament Championship Match for the seventh time in the last eight seasons following a 3-1 win in the semifinals over the Wayne State Warriors on Saturday (Nov. 20) at Michigan Tech University.

Named first team right-side hitter by the GLIAC earlier today, senior Katie O'Connell drilled a match-best 18 kills on the day and ground out 21 digs for the Dawgs to lead in both categories.

Ferris State won 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, winning sets one and two back-to-back by solid margins before battling to a tight third set setback where Ferris State was held to its lowest attack percentage of the day. Ferris State ultimately hit .289 in the final set to rebound for the win and advance to the tournament final.

Senior libero and GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year Nina Gorgijevska had 20 digs and six assists on the day to go with a service ace. Ferris State freshman outside hitter Keona Salesman also had 17 kills for the Dawgs on the day.

At the net, Ferris State had five block solo's and six block assists. Salesman finished with three solo blocks while junior middle hitter Kira Merkle had three total blocks on the day as well. Merkle also added eight kills while freshman middle hitter Olivia Henneman Dallape added nine.

Ferris State freshman setter Kaylee Maat had a strong outing with 45 assists, 12 digs and three kills on the day to help run the Bulldog offensive attack that hit better than .316 in each of the first two sets.

The Bulldogs also fired eight service aces, led by Merkle's three. O'Connell chipped in a pair as well for the Dawgs in the match.

Offensively, the Bulldogs hit at a strong .255 attack clip in the match. Both teams finished with 81 digs in four sets.

The Warriors relied on Taylor Wagner's 16 kills in the outing. Maddy Benoit added 29 digs for Wayne State defensively.

Ferris State will take on top-seeded host Michigan Tech in the GLIAC Tournament Championship match on Sunday starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET) in Houghton. In their previous six trips to the GLIAC Final, the Bulldogs are unbeaten.