Central Michigan University
Ohio
CMU Drops MAC Match to Ohio
9/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Mary Walsh, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan volleyball team fell to defending MAC champion Ohio, 3-1, on Saturday night at McGuirk Arena, halting the Chippewas five-match winning streak.
With the loss, CMU slipped to to 1-1 in league play and 6-8 overall.
"This was an eye opener for our team because if that's what the best in the MAC is, I think we have the opportunity to reach the top," CMU head coach Erik Olson said, "We did not do a lot of things very well today. We did not execute well today. But I think we can practice and can get better."
After dropping the first set, 25-11, the Maroon and Gold answered back with a 25-21 second set win over Ohio (9-4). The Bobcats clinched the match victory in the third and fourth sets, 25-18 and 25-20, respectively.
Freshman setter Kylie Copple led the Chippewas with 29 assists and an attack percentage of .667 for the match.
Senior outside hitter Kaitlyn McIntyre tallied 11 kills, including five in the victorious second set, and two assisted blocks. The reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Week leads the Chippewas in kills with 165 through 14 matches.
Kristen Reenders, the MAC leader in digs with a 4.75 per set average, recorded 16 against the Bobcats.
"I think this group has the talent, as I've been saying all season long, to be at the top of the podium at the end of the season," Olson said, "If we're good and we go out there and play good then we'll be good. It's that simple."
CMU will continue MAC play next weekend when it travels to Toledo on Friday, Oct. 3. and Ball State on Saturday, Oct. 4.
"We have some great athletes on this team," Olson said, "I think once this crew really unites as one heart beat and they go into these matches like warriors, they're going to be a really tough group to play."
