Central Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Chippewas Drop Home Opener
9/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Zach Libby, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Five players finished with six or more kills for the Central Michigan volleyball team on Friday during its first home match of the season, but was dealt its seventh straight-set loss.
The Chippewas fell 26-24, 25-22, 25-19 to Northern Illinois to slip to 6-9 overall and 0-3 in the Mid-American Conference. They last dropped two straight on the road to Ball State and Toledo last weekend to open league play.
It was the sixth straight win for NIU (10-4, 3-0), which leads the MAC West.
"It was great to be back at home," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "I thought we played well a times against a really tough opponent. We did a really great job at times in executing our game plan and really putting pressure on them to make some plays."
One of the main objectives for Central Michigan was to limit the hitting opportunities for NIU's middle blocker Jenna Radtke, who entered the match leading the MAC in hitting percentage at .414.
While Radtke finished at .133 and with four kills on Friday, other Huskies took advantage of open looks, including senior Lauren Zielinski, the reigning MAC West Offensive Player of the Week, and junior Bri Horwath. Zielinski and Horwath combined for 17 kills.
"Good teams find a way to beat you somewhere else when you try and take away one of their studs," Gawlik said. "While I was happy that we held (Radtke) in check, it was at the expense of letting two attackers go that ultimately beat us."
Junior outside hitter Jordan Beuter led Central Michigan with 13 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Laura Wilson had 10, Jayla Wesley added eight, while Paige Carey and Taylor Robertson each had six.
CMU setter Kathia Sanchez recorded 36 assists. CMU finished with a total of five team blocks.
Megan Kern also posted 15 digs and Bueter had 10 to lead the Chippewas defensively. CMU ended the match hitting at a .168 clip.
The Huskies are the two-time defending MAC West champions and last season finished runner-up in the MAC Tournament.
"Every time you get an opportunity to play against one of the elite level teams in your conference, you aspire to be that," Gawlik said. "We can learn a lot of things from the way they play, a really gritty defensive style.
"They're a great team, they're a team that we're going to play really hard when we get to DeKalb (Ill.) later on this year and I know that we'll be better when we play them again."
Central Michigan will wrap up the weekend on Sunday at McGuirk against Western Michigan. The Broncos (5-11, 0-3) has lost three straight, the latest a four-setter at Eastern Michigan on Friday.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
