Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Complete Record-Breaking Season
11/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 25, 2003
MOUNT PLEASANT -- The Central Michigan University volleyball team (18-13-11-5 Mid-American Conference) had its season cut short in the MAC tournament, but still provided an unforgettable year of highlights and records.
The second-seeded Chippewas were defeated in the MAC tournament quarterfinals by No. 7 Marshall, 3-1, on Nov. 21 in Muncie, Ind.
CMU was riding a seven-match win streak into the tournament, but couldn't handle a hot Thundering Herd team that made its way to the title match before falling to Ohio, 3-0.
Despite the early tournament exit, the Chippewas season was not a total loss. CMU accumulated numerous team and individual accomplishments in the best season under head coach Elaine Piha and one of the best in school history.
As a team, the Chippewas won the MAC West Division title for the first time in school history. CMU had its most overall wins, 18, and its most conference wins, 11, since 1993.
The Maroon and Gold put together a seven-match win streak in their last seven regular season games, the longest since 1994, and won 17 straight games in that span which fell one short of the school mark of 18.
Individually the Chippewa spikers garnered many awards, records and accomplishments.
Senior setter Shaleene Glombowski had the best season of any CMU setter in history. She shattered the career assists mark of 3,414, finishing her tenure at CMU with 4,428, and set the record for most assists in a season with 1,582.
Glombowski was named MAC "Player of the Week" twice and was named to the All-MAC first team. She finished the season at the top of the MAC in assists per game with a 13.29 average.
Emily Lovejoy moved into third place on the career kills list, notching 1,347 in her three years at CMU. She also took over the top spot on career attempts with 3,752. Her 1,158 attacks this season were the fourth most by a Chippewa in one year.
Lovejoy was named MAC "Player of the Week" twice and was a member of the All-MAC second team.
Middle hitter Meghan Moore made a huge impact on the Chippewas in her freshman season. She was named the MAC "Freshman of the Year" as well as being a member or the All-MAC second team and All-Freshman team.
Moore moved into the CMU season charts in numerous categories. She was fifth in total blocks with 149 and third in block assists with 132. Meghan ranked fourth in the MAC in blocks per game, averaging 1.26.
Liz Passen had a spectacular senior season after missing half of last year with an ACL injury. Passen finished third in the conference with a .325 hitting percentage. She also moved into sixth place in the CMU block assists annals with 280 in her career.
The Chippewas will return a solid squad next season of Lovejoy, Moore and Tamara Fant. Fant was second in the conference in hitting percentage and ranked fifth all-time at CMU at .364.
Ali McCrite will return as a three-year starter for the Chippewas at libero. She averaged 4.15 digs per game last season which was fifth best in the MAC. McCrite played in all 119 games.
Also returning will be freshman Mary Ochmanek who played in 116 games as a defensive specialist. She was fourth on the team with 26 aces.