Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Akron
Chippewas Stumble In First MAC Tilt
9/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 27, 2003
AKRON, Ohio -- The Central Michigan University volleyball team (6-8, 0-1 Mid-American Conference) had to feel as though history was repeating itself as it watched its 2-0 lead to Akron (6-7, 1-0 MAC) erased on Friday evening, eventually losing 3-2.
The last time the Zips and Chippewas hooked up, in the 2002 MAC tournament, CMU suffered the same fate after blowing a 2-0 lead.
On Friday, the Chippewas grabbed the victory in game no. 1 despite a hitting percentage of only .093. Akron managed to fight off match point with CMU up 29-28, but eventually fell, 32-30.
The Chippewas came out firing in game two, hitting at a scorching .353 percent while holding Akron to .089. The maroon and Gold cruised to a 30-24 victory and a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead in the match.
The Chippewas had the Zips on the ropes in game three, pulling out to a 7-4 lead. UA crept back in the match, slowly chipping away at the lead, and finally knotting it up at 23. UA took its first lead at 24-23 after a CMU attack error. The Zips went on to win the next point and never trailed again, winning 30-28.
Game four was a back-and-forth battle that saw the scored knotted up 16 times. UA took the lead at 24-23 and went on to win, 30-28.
The Zips never trailed in game five, opening up a 9-4 lead. CMU came back to tie it at 14 apiece but an attack error put UA up 15-14 and a block assist from Sandy Lewis and Monica Morlock sealed the Chippewas fate, losing 16-14.
Tamara Fant recorded a match-high .485 hitting percentage and notched a team-high 17 kills.
Freshman Meghan Moore and senior Liz Passen were dominant defensively for CMU. Moore had a career-high ten blocks, also a Chippewa season-high, including three solo and seven assists. Passen had six blocks, one assisted.
Moore was also among the five Chippewas with double-digit kills, she had 15.
Emily Lovejoy and Melissa Reynolds recorded double-doubles in the same game for the fourth time this season. Lovejoy had 14 kills and 13 digs while Reynolds had 11 kills and 12 digs.
The Zips were paced by Sandy Lewis who smashed 18 kills and had 25 digs.
The Chippewas continue play in Ohio with a match against Kent State tomorrow at 7 p.m.
