MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Tiffin University volleyball team wrapped up play on Saturday at the UP North Open with the Dragons dropping a pair of matches to (RV) University of Minnesota Duluth and Northern Michigan University.
Katelyn Owens was named to the All-Tournament team after 27 kills and eight blocks on the weekend.
Game One: (RV) Minnesota Duluth 3, Tiffin 0 (F)
Tiffin battled throughout the contest but was unable to slow a balanced Minnesota Duluth attack that featured four players with at least nine kills.
The Dragons were led offensively by
Jada Shade, who posted a team-high nine kills, while
Katelyn Owens added six kills on a .500 hitting percentage.
Rian Strickland chipped in six kills, and
Kat Akolzin contributed four kills while directing the offense with 23 assists.
After dropping the opening set 25-14, Tiffin put together its strongest stretch of the match in the second. Behind a service ace from Akolzin and a pair of kills from Strickland, the Dragons trimmed the deficit to 11-10 before the Bulldogs answered with a run to regain control. Tiffin stayed within striking distance late in the frame but Minnesota Duluth closed out the set, 25-19.
The third set featured several momentum swings as the Dragons erased an early four-point deficit and tied the score at 5-5 thanks in part to back-to-back blocks from Shade and Owens. Tiffin later pulled within a point at 14-13, but the Bulldogs responded with a decisive 6-0 run to put the match out of reach before claiming the set 25-16.
Defensively, Akolzin led the Dragons with 10 digs, while libero
Morgan Morley recorded nine. Tiffin finished with six total team blocks, highlighted by Owens' team-best five block assists.
Game Two: Northern Michigan 3, Tiffin 0 (F)
The Dragons battled throughout the afternoon, holding leads in both the opening and second sets, but the Wildcats used a .336 team hitting percentage and eight blocks to secure the victory.
Tiffin was led offensively by
Amber Czerniak, who recorded a team-high 11 kills, while
Katelyn Owens added eight kills and
Parker Vackert chipped in eight while hitting an impressive .444. Setter
Kat Akolzin tallied 24 assists and
Morgan Morley finished with a team-best 14 digs.
The Dragons came out firing in the first set, jumping in front 10-4 after a strong early run. Northern Michigan responded and eventually reclaimed the lead at 19-18 before holding off a late Tiffin charge. The Dragons fought off two set points and cut the deficit to 24-23 after an Akolzin service ace, but the Wildcats closed out the frame 25-23.
Tiffin again seized momentum early in the second set. Consecutive service aces from Morley highlighted a six-point run that gave the Dragons an 8-2 advantage. Northern Michigan gradually chipped away and tied the set at 17 before using an 8-2 finish to take a 2-0 match lead with a 25-19 win.
The Wildcats controlled much of the third set, building an 11-4 lead. Tiffin continued to battle and trimmed the deficit to 21-18 behind kills from Vackert and Czerniak, but Northern Michigan answered down the stretch to secure the 25-20 set victory and the match sweep.
Next up, Tiffin will head to Alaska where they will compete in the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic against stiff competition, including No. T-16 University of Alaska Fairbanks, No. 11 Fresno Pacific University, (RV) University of Alaska Anchorage and (RV) Minnesota State University, Mankato. The first match against the Nanooks is slated for Thursday at 11 p.m. (ET)/ 7 p.m. (AKST).
