Marquette, MI – The Parkside Rangers saw their season come to a close in the GLIAC quarterfinals. The Rangers fell to the No. 3 seed, Northern Michigan, on the road in four sets. After dropping the first two sets, the Rangers fought hard to win the third but were unable to force a fifth set and extend the match.

Inside the Box Score:

• Natalie Harris led the defensive effort with 14 digs.
• Kendal Zeiter finished with nine kills to lead the Rangers. Zeiter notched a double-double, adding 12 digs.
• Sam Fisch and Sierra Kilbourn contributed eight kills each.
• Lily Ray also secured a double-double, recording 16 assists and 10 digs.

How It Happened:
The Rangers entered a loud and hostile Vandament Arena in Marquette. The arena buzzed with the energy of a postseason match, and the Wildcats of Northern Michigan lived up to the occasion. They were nearly unstoppable offensively, hitting .404 as a team and committing just one error in the opening set. Northern Michigan took the first set 25-16 and nearly repeated the performance in the second, winning 25-15. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead and took control of the match. 

The Rangers managed to shift the momentum in the third set, battling to force a fourth. Sierra Kilbourn came alive in the third set, recording six of her eight kills in that frame alone. After Northern Michigan tied the set at 13-all, the Rangers went on a decisive run. They strung together four consecutive points on kills from Mariena Coon, Marisa Lootens, and Kilbourn. Kendal Zeiter sealed the set emphatically with a service ace to clinch it.

Despite the momentum shift, Northern Michigan regained control in the fourth and final set. They surged to a 10-1 lead and dominated to close out the set 25-15, ending the match.

The Rangers' 2024 season concludes with an 11-17 overall record.

Next:
To keep up with the Rangers in the offseason, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.