Central Michigan University Athletics
Volleyball Hosts a Pair This Weekend
10/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 27, 2005
MOUNT PLEASANT - A pair of home matches await the Central Michigan University volleyball team as it hosts Akron and Buffalo this weekend.
The Chippewas are still in search of their first Mid-American Conference victory as they stand at 0-10 in the conference, 3-17 overall. They face Akron on Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., and host Buffalo on Saturday, Oct. 29, beginning at 7 p.m.
"The key for us this weekend is taking care of the ball on our side of the net," head coach Erik Olson said. "We can not beat ourselves by making bad mistakes during matches. I think the team is doing a good job of staying positive, but we need to continue that attitude throughout every play. I want our team to be confident and feel that they can be succesful, but not put too much pressure on themselves to win. We need to focus on what is happening now and the task that is at hand."
The squad had a tough go of things last weekend as it dropped matches at Ball State and Toledo. The offense and defense struggled to get going in both contests and Olson and his staff worked hard with the team in practice this week on the mental side of things.
"It is tough to say what happened last week, but I think it came down to we got mentally frazzled in both matches and it took us off our game," Olson said. "We have to understand that last weekend was just a little hicup and it is important we continue to stay focused on getting better every practice. The physical skills are there, it is the mental part of things we continue to work on."
The squad's passing game had been a strong point for the team early in the season and kept CMU in a lot of games, but that unit struggled a bit last weekend. Olson knows that getting back on track in that area will be a key for success this weekend.
"Passing has a lot to do with confidence and that was lacking a little bit last weekend," Olson said. "We need to play good defense and pass well if we want to be successful because that will keep us in games when the offense is struggling. I thought we watched things happen too much last weekend and weren't active enough. We worked on a couple different things this week in practice but it is really a matter of being mentally ready."
CMU's offense is growing together as a unit and this young groups continues to get more and more experience each week. The biggest thing Olson thinks the offense needs to continue to focus on is staying agressive and bettering every ball they play.
"Our offense continues to make strides but we must stay aggressive if we want to be successful," Olson said. "We need to understand that not every ball set will be perfect, but it is important to make the best out of every opportunity. Physically we have all the pieces, it is just a matter of doing all the little things on the mental side of the game."
SERIES INFORMATION: The all-time series between CMU and Akron is tied at 10-10 after the Chippewas tallied a 3-2 victory at home last season. Before that victory, the Maroon and Gold had dropped seven-straight contests to the Zips. CMU holds a 8-1 advantage in the all-time series with Buffalo. The Chippewas have won the last five matches with the Bulls, including a 3-0 win on the road last year.
BAKER TOP POINT PRODUCER: Alison Baker jumped to the top of CMU's total points scored list over the weekend as she has put up a team-high 210.0 points this season. Baker has been an all-arounder producer for the Chippewas with 2.34 kills per game, 55 total blocks and 13 service aces. She also holds the top hitting percentage with a mark of .197 this season. Kate Fissel is right behind her with 209.0 points and Sarah Warner sits just 7.5 tallies behind at 202.5.
McCRITE CLIMBS MAC DIGS LADDER: Ali McCrite continues to climb up the MAC career dig ranks with 1,837 during her time at CMU, which places her third on the list. McCrite has stepped up her play during the conference season as she is averaging 5.17 digs per MAC game. That mark ranks her seventh in the conference for MAC-games only. McCrite's overall mark of 4.86 sits fifth in the conference.
MAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Ball State middle attacker Rachel Refenes was named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week on Monday while Miami outside hitter Emily Schroeder and Ohio middle blocker Melissa Griffin were the Co-East Division selections.
NEXT UP: The Chippewas head back out on the road for their final road trip of the regular season with matches at Eastern Michigan and No. 21 Ohio. CMU plays at EMU on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., and against the Bobcats on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.
