November 24, 2025

Ferris State volleyball team falls to Wayne State in GLIAC tournament title match; will await NCAA DII tournament selections

The Ferris State University volleyball team fell to Wayne State University 3-1 in the 2025 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship Match on Sunday at Bulldog Arena.

The Warriors captured the league tournament title with a 27-29, 25-18, 25-12 and 25-19 win, avenging a pair of regular season defeats to FSU. The two teams shared the league regular season title this fall.

The Bulldogs, now 24-7 overall, were making their 11th GLIAC Tournament Championship Match appearance in the last 12 seasons.

Both Hayley Wegener and Hope Davies were named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team for the Bulldogs.

Ferris State is expected to receive an at-large berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament and will await the Selection Show set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. at NCAA.com.

Ferris State secured a hard-fought first set, but WSU responded with strong performances in the following three frames to claim the victory. Despite Ferris State’s 50 kills and 79 digs, Wayne State capitalized on their efficient attack with 56 kills and six service aces to secure the win.

Ferris State took an early advantage with Logyn Geren and Gabby Piazza each contributing key kills, while Wayne State's Leigha Baldwin kept the visitors competitive with timely kills.

As the set progressed, Wegener's multiple assists facilitated a series of successful attacks, helping FSU edge ahead. Despite WSU's efforts, including a late surge that tied the score at 24-24, Ferris State secured the set 29-27 with Piazza's decisive kill from Wegener.

In the second set, the Warriors capitalized on a series of Ferris State errors and effective plays to secure a 25-18 win. Wayne State's Lauren Essenpreis delivered back-to-back service aces, contributing to a 6-2 lead early in the set.

Kayla Giroux was pivotal for Wayne, recording multiple kills including two consecutive strikes that extended their advantage to 10-2. Despite a late push by Ferris, featuring kills from Emily May and Piazza, Wayne State maintained its lead, with the set concluding on a FSU service error. Wayne State took the set, creating momentum for the rest of the match.

WSU capitalized on Ferris State errors to secure a commanding 25-12 victory in the third set. Kayla Dulgar's consistent setting facilitated key kills, including contributions from Essenpreis and Baldwin.

The Bulldogs struggled with attack errors, hindering their ability to mount a comeback. Despite efforts from Piazza and May, Ferris State couldn't close the gap, culminating in Essenpreis' final kill to seal the set for Wayne State.

Piazza opened the fourth set with three kills for Ferris State, giving them an early 3-1 advantage. However, Wayne State responded with a series of successful plays, including kills by Giroux, to take a 6-3 lead. A critical moment came when Paige Giehtbrock served consecutive aces, extending Wayne State's lead to 12-10.

Despite efforts from the Bulldogs, including a kill by Lyndsey Urick, Wayne State maintained the momentum. Baldwin's kill brought WSU to set point, and an attack error from Emma Bleecher concluded the set at 25-19 in favor of Wayne State.

Wegener posted a team-high 37 assists and added 19 digs. May led with 12 kills and contributed two blocks. Davies scooped up 20 digs and delivered three assists.

Giroux stood out for Wayne State with a team-high 17 kills and a .317 hitting percentage, contributing significantly with five total blocks and 19.5 points. Abigail Macalaguim excelled defensively, leading the team with 24 digs, showcasing her reliability in the back row. Dulgar facilitated the offense with 40 assists, while also adding 23 digs and one service ace to her performance.