HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball program played their closest match of the season against Michigan Tech Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (3-11, 1-5 GLIAC) fell 3-2 to the Huskies (8-5, 4-2 GLIAC) with set scores of 23-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-14, and 15-13.

Sarah Veale's fourth-consecutive double-double led the Cardinals as she finished with 22 kills and 20 digs. Rachel Townsend also posted a double-double with 25 digs and 14 kills. Peyton Bartnikowski had 10 digs as well as offense also came from Cola Sisk with 9 kills and Jackie Scheiber with eight. Scheiber was two kills away from her own double-double as she led the team with 50 assists. The Cardinals had one solo block and 20 assists as Sage Schumacher led with seven assists and Townsend had one solo and five assists.

Set One: SVSU went ahead with a 4-0 run including an ace from Veale to take a 4-2 lead. The teams traded points until the Cardinals started to pull ahead in the middle portion of the set. Two 3-0 runs sandwiched a kill for the Huskies and gave Saginaw Valley an 18-13 lead. Michigan Tech battled back to tie the set at 23-23 before an attack error gave the Cardinals the one-point lead and an Elizabeth Bruschuk ace ended the set.

Set Two: The Cardinals started hot with a 6-1 lead with Veale and Scheiber both tallying two kills. A 4-0 run pushed their lead to 12-3 before MTU grinded their way back into the set. Runs of 7-1 and 6-1 put the Huskies ahead by one. SVSU got a kill from Townsend and Veale and an ace from Townsend in a 4-0 run to take the lead again at 22-20. Michigan Tech forced extra points as they tied it 24-24 and after a kill by Sisk, they took the final three points to claim the set and tie the match 1-1.

Set Three: Saginaw Valley took an early lead again as the two teams duked it out for the first 20 points. A 10-10 tie was broken as the Cardinals drifted ahead before Michigan Tech responded with a 7-0 run. Sisk and Townsend helped lead a 7-2 run as the Cardinals brought the set to within one and then Scheiber and Veale powered a 5-1 run to give SVSU set point. Schumacher ended it with an ace as the Cardinals went up 2-1.

Set Four: The fourth set was the only one that was won by more than three points. The Huskies took a 10-4 lead early on. SVSU got kills from Townsend and Makaylah Roberts as they came within four before a power surge by Michigan Tech used a 4-0 run and 5-1 run to close out the set and force a fifth.

Set Five: The Huskies took the early lead going ahead 5-3 before a 5-0 run for the Cardinals capped off by a Bartnikowski ace put them up 8-5 and the teams' flipped sides in set five. Michigan Tech chipped away and tied the set at 11-11. SVSU got kills by Sisk and Townsend for the two-point lead before a 4-0 run for MTU won the set and match for the Huskies.

Up Next: Saginaw Valley volleyball continues the road trip as they head to No. 5 Ferris State on Friday, October 11. The match is set for 6:00 PM EST from Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Michigan.