BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Parkside volleyball team saw its 2026 season come to a close Wednesday evening, falling to top-seeded Ferris State in four sets in the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals. The Rangers earned a third-set victory but were unable to overcome the Bulldogs, bringing their season to an end with a 15-13 overall record and a 7-9 mark in GLIAC play.
Parkside stayed close early with kills from
Maia Olson,
Emily Zaper,
Monica Lukasiewicz and
Sierra Kilbourn, and a Lukasiewicz service ace cut the Bulldogs' lead to 7-6. The Bulldogs moved from a 10-8 lead to 14-8 on a Gabby Piazza kill, back-to-back Lillian Peterson service aces and a Hayley Wegener kill.
Sam Fisch and Zaper answered with kills to bring Parkside within 14-10, but the Bulldogs later used kills by Emily May and Peterson along with two Parkside errors to extend the margin to 22-13. Parkside scored twice after the Bulldogs reached 24-15, including an Olson kill, before Piazza closed the set for the Bulldogs at 25-17.
The second set stayed tight early, as Parkside answered Bulldogs points with kills by
Avary Polavin, Fisch and Kilbourn, then moved in front 7-5 on
Monica Lukasiewicz's kill and a
Lauren Peters ace. The Bulldogs tied it at 7-7, but Parkside kept edging ahead with kills by Olson and Fisch before a Kilbourn kill put the visitors up 12-11. The Bulldogs moved in front from there, getting consecutive kills from Emily May and
Ava Irvin for a 14-12 lead, and after a service error brought Parkside within 14-13, the home team scored four straight behind Maddy Vaara's kill, a Hayley Wegener/May block, a Hope Davies ace and an Irvin kill to reach 18-13. Parkside got late kills from
Dani Kopacz and Olson and pulled back within 23-19 on a Bulldogs attack error, but the Bulldogs reached set point on a Wegener kill and finished the set 25-19 on May's kill.
Parkside started the third set with kills from
Dani Kopacz, Polavin and Fisch for a 3-0 lead, but the Bulldogs tied it at 3-3 and later moved in front 9-8.
Sierra Kilbourn's kill tied the set at 9-9, and Parkside won the next five points on
Monica Lukasiewicz's serve, using three Kilbourn kills, an Olson-Kilbourn block and an Olson kill to go ahead 14-9. The Bulldogs cut into an 18-13 deficit and eventually tied the set at 19-19, then drew even again at 21-21 on a service ace. Kilbourn put Parkside back in front 22-21, Zaper followed with consecutive service aces to reach 24-21, and after the Bulldogs pulled within 24-23, a service error closed the set for Parkside, 25-23.
Parkside built a 5-2 lead after
Dani Kopacz opened the set with an ace and Fisch sandwiched kills around a Lukasiewicz kill, but the Bulldogs tied the set at 5-5. The teams traded points through the Bulldogs' 10-9 lead, then kills by Kopacz and Polavin moved Parkside back in front, and
Maia Olson's kill plus two more Polavin kills pushed the advantage to 14-11. Polavin has recorded at least 10 kills in four consecutive matches. The Bulldogs worked back to 16-16, and the teams continued trading ties at 17-17, 18-18, 19-19 and 20-20, with Kopacz kills pulling Parkside even at 18-18 and 20-20. From there, Gabby Piazza put down consecutive kills for a 22-20 Bulldogs lead, and after a Bulldogs attack error made it 22-21, the home team scored the final three points to take the set 25-21.
Natalie Harris led the Rangers defensively with a team-high 24 digs while also recording seven assists.
Sierra Kilbourn paced Parkside offensively with a team-high 12 kills, hitting an impressive .429 while adding one block assist and totaling 12.5 points.
Lucy Russ dished out a team-high 27 assists and added seven digs.
Dani Kopacz contributed nine kills, a season-high 11 digs in the 2026-27 season, one service ace and 10.0 points.
Masina Reuter also helped facilitate the offense with 14 assists while recording 10 digs.
The Rangers finished the 2026 season with a 15-13 overall record.
For all things Parkside Volleyball, including links to live coverage, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
