Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
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Western Mich
Volleyball Picks Up MAC Opener In Marathon Match
9/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 27, 2002
Kalamazoo, Mich.-The Central Michigan volleyball team (4-9 overall, 1-0 Mid-American) opened MAC play against intrastate rival, Western Michigan (5-8 overall, 0-1 MAC) on Friday night in a five-game marathon. Central won the battle with game scores of 30-27, 30-27, 21-30, 27-30, and 19-17.
Central took a 12-8 lead in game one before Western Michigan was forced to take a time-out. Both teams battled and kept the game close as the Chippewas hung on to the lead until the game tied at 20-20. The Broncos took another time out as CMU held on to a 25-22 advantage. Neither team gave up more than a four-point lead and CMU sealed game one, 30-27, with a kill from Tamara Fant (New Baltimore/Fr.) and Emily Lovejoy (Traverse City/So.). Central had a .385 hitting percentage (20-5-39) to Western's .214 hitting percentage (15-6-42).
CMU came out with a commanding 16-6 lead in game two. The lead changed only twice as CMU held the upper hand and came out with a 30-27 win. The Chippewas took a 2-0 advantage in the match. Again, CMU out hit the Broncos with a .317 hitting percentage (18-5-41) to WMU's .233 hitting percentage (17-7-43).
Game three started off completely opposite from game two. Western led the game, 15-11, when Central took a time out. The Broncos held on to the lead (24-19) to force another CMU time out. WMU stayed on top and finished the game, 30-21. The Bronco offense blasted a .414 hitting percentage (15-3-29) to CMU's .128 hitting percentage (14-9-39).
Both teams rallied back and forth in game four but Western came out on top winning 30-27 to take the match to five games. Game four's offensive numbers were more closely match with CMU nailing 18 kills to WMU's 15 kills.
Game five went into extra points as the Chippewas put the pressure on, and came out with a win. CMU had 14 kills to Western's 10.
Lovejoy smashed a match-high 27 kills on the night and picked up 12 digs for a double-double.
Katie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind./Fr.) had an impressive night. She picked up a season-high 12 kills and totaled four digs.
Liz Passen (Fishers, Ind./Jr.) layed down 16 kills while Kendra DeVries (Fremont/Sr.) and Fant chipped in 12 and eight kills, respectively. DeVries also had two block solos on the night.
Freshman Ali McCrite (New Albany, Ind.) tied a match-high 14 digs with Western's Carman Malone.
The team notched a season-high 84 kills and setter Shaleene Glombowski (Marysville/Jr.) dished out 68 assists to tie her season high.
Western's Amanda Fry picked up a team-high 17 kills while three other Broncos notched 11 kills.
"This was huge for our team," said head coach Elaine Piha. "We've been in this situation several times this season and tonight everyone stepped up for us. The upperclassmen did a great job in believing in the team and getting the younger players to believe they could win the match."
The Chippewas head to Northern Illinois to take on the Huskies on Saturday at 7 p.m., (CST).
