The Parkside volleyball team made history on Friday night inside DeSimone Arena, earning their first sweep over Michigan Tech in 10 years with a dominant 3–0 victory (26–24, 25–20, 25–23). With the win, the Rangers improve to 15–6 overall and 6–5 in GLIAC play.
The opening set was tightly contested, with both teams trading points early before Michigan Tech surged ahead with a 17–8 lead. The Rangers showed tremendous resilience, storming back from the nine-point deficit behind strong serving runs from senior setter Lily Ray, who helped ignite Parkside's momentum shift. Freshman middle blocker Maia Olson anchored the defense with five blocks in the set alone, while freshman outside hitter Avary Polavin provided a huge offensive spark, hitting .500 with six kills in the frame. The Rangers' offense found its rhythm late, finishing the set with an impressive .359 hitting percentage to complete the comeback and take the opener, 26–24.
In the second set, Parkside's defense took control, recording four team blocks to set the tone early. Libero Natalie Harris anchored the back row with a series of impressive digs, recording 10 in the set alone to keep rallies alive. Middle blocker Sierra Kilbourn and opposite hitter Sam Fisch were both highly efficient on the attack, each hitting .500 in the frame. Senior outside hitter Ava Irvin added pressure from the service line with two aces, while the Rangers maintained a dominant 71% sideout percentage. Parkside capitalized on several Michigan Tech errors and steady execution to secure the set, 25–20.
Parkside showed impressive control and confidence in the third set, maintaining their momentum from start to finish. Libero Natalie Harris made a big impact from the service line with two aces, while freshman outside hitter Avary Polavin continued her impressive night by hitting .667 in the set with six kills. The Rangers' balanced attack helped them hold off a late Michigan Tech push, sealing the sweep with a 25–23 victory.
Parkside's offense was well-rounded in the win, led by freshman outside hitter Avary Polavin, who delivered a career night with 16 kills on an impressive .441 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Ava Irvin contributed 7 kills, 11 digs, and two service aces. Opposite hitter Sam Fisch added 14 kills on .367 hitting, while Sierra Kilbourn contributed 6 kills on a season-high .500 hitting percentage. Freshman middle blocker Maia Olson also made her presence felt at the net, recording a career-high nine blocks to anchor Parkside's defense. Setter Lucy Russ orchestrated the offense with 23 assists, and libero Natalie Harris collected a team-high 21 digs. As a team, Parkside hit .284 and recorded a season-high 12 team blocks in the three-set match in a dominant all-around performance.
Parkside will return home tomorrow to face Northern Michigan at 3 p.m. in the final home regular-season matchup at DeSimone Arena.
For all things Parkside Volleyball and links to live coverage, please visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
