News Photo by Leslianne Johns ACC Lumberjacks Reaghan Fitzpatrick and Alivia Freel block the ball in Friday's home matchup against Henry Ford Community College.

ALPENA — The Alpena Community College Lumberjacks women’s volleyball team took to the court on Friday against the Henry Ford Community College Hawks in a competitive matchup that ultimately ended in a five-set sweep for the Hawks.

The opening set was a back-and-forth contest, with both teams trading leads and creating plenty of energy on the floor. Despite the Lumberjacks’ efforts to keep momentum on their side, the Hawks secured the set and carried their advantage through the rest of the match.

While the scoreboard didn’t favor Alpena, the Lumberjacks continued to battle across all five sets. The team showed grit and determination in every rally, refusing to back down against a strong opponent. Each set revealed areas of growth for the roster, as the team works to sharpen communication and build chemistry on the court.

Standout performances came from Reaghan Fitzpatrick, who was a dominant presence throughout the match, and Alivia Freel, whose consistency and effort made her a key contributor. Their play provided the Lumberjacks with sparks of momentum and highlighted the potential within the team.

“Even though we didn’t play our best volleyball today, we fought hard through every set,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think that we learned a lot from this match about not letting outside factors affect us in the game. We will take these lessons with us into our future matches.”

She added, “During tough matches we try to focus on celebrating the small positives and getting excited for every point,” highlighting the team’s resilience and mindset despite the loss. On a personal level, Fitzpatrick shared, “A personal goal that I have for this season is to learn how to move on quickly from mistakes and not let them affect the rest of my game.”

For a developing roster, each contest serves as another step in building toward future success. Despite the sweep, Alpena’s determination and resilience were clear. The Lumberjacks remain focused on progress, turning tough lessons into opportunities for growth as they look ahead to the rest of the season.

The Lumberjacks travel to face Alma College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3.