BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —Parkside battled wire-to-wire but came up just short in a four-set thriller against Wayne State, falling 16-25, 23-35, 25-15, 28-30 in the semifinals of the 2025 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament on Saturday evening at Ewigleben Sports Arena.

Wayne State controlled the opening frame, taking the first set 25-16 as Parkside struggled offensively, hitting just .108 compared to the Warriors' .353. The Warriors edged out the second set 25-23 despite a strong serving performance from the Rangers, who recorded five service aces in the frame—two from Lucy Russ, two from Ava Irvin, and one from Maia Olson. Parkside responded emphatically in the third, flipping the momentum with a dominant 25-15 win behind a .367 hitting percentage and an incredible 81% sideout rate, the highest posted by any team throughout the day. The fourth set turned into a marathon battle, but Wayne State ultimately prevailed 30-28 as Parkside hit .095 despite spreading the offense evenly across the lineup with 13 kills in the set.

Sam Fisch led the Rangers with 13 kills on .214 hitting to go along with two blocks, while Sierra Kilbourn added 10 kills and three blocks in a strong two-way performance. Mariena Coon contributed three kills and two blocks, and Maia Olson delivered one of the team's most efficient nights with six kills and a team-high four blocks. Setter Lucy Russ turned in a standout effort with 26 assists, 11 digs, and four service aces to record a double-double. On the back row, Natalie Harris anchored the defense with a team-high 21 digs. As a group, the Rangers finished the night hitting .158 with six total team blocks.

With the loss, Parkside concludes its run in the GLIAC Tournament and finishes the 2025 season with a 19–9 overall record.

For all things Parkside Volleyball and links to live coverage, please visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.