Saturday, October 12
Mount Pleasant, MI
8 p.m.
Central Michigan University
15-3,5-1MAC
3
vs
2
Toledo
7-11,4-2MAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Toledo
15
25
25
21
13
2
Central Mich.
25
23
23
25
15
3
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Chippewas Rally, Remain Unbeaten In MAC
10/12/2019 11:33:00 PM | Volleyball
CMU volleyball runs win streak to 11
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- It wasn't easy, but make it 11 wins in a row.
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The Central Michigan volleyball team defeated Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo in an emotional five-set match on Saturday at McGuirk Arena. The Chippewas improved to 16-2, 6-0 MAC; Toledo is 7-11, 0-6.
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The 16 wins are the most for a Chippewa team in Mike Gawlik's tenure as the coach. Gawlik is in his fourth year in charge of the program. His 2017 squad posted 15 wins.
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"Everybody on this team gets along so well," senior libero Megan Kern said. "We have such good team chemistry with each other. Whether you're playing or you're on the bench, everybody is supporting each other. I think knowing that people have your back and they're rooting for you helps with playing on the court, and playing well with each other."
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Building Blocks
Gawlik said a big part of the foundation for the success of this year's squad – the Chippewas hold a two-game lead over second-place Ball State in the MAC West – was laid last season.
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"I think this group, which is a lot of the same people from a year ago, didn't find maybe as many wins at the rate (last season) as we're finding them this season," he said. "I think we worked incredibly hard last year. We were a little young in some spots, we made some young mistakes which you need to make before you make savvy veteran plays. Those moments from a year ago are just as important as the moments from this year because you learn from those mistakes as well."
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How It Happened
CMU won the first set 25-15, and then Toledo took sets two and three, both 25-23. The Chippewas rallied to win the fourth, 25-21, breaking a 16-16 tie with three straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish.
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The fifth set followed a similar script. The Chippewas took advantage of three consecutive Toledo errors in breaking from an 11-11 tie to seize a 14-11 lead.
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Savannah Thompson had the set-winning kills in both of the final two sets.
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"I thought we came out of set one and shot out of a cannon," Gawlik said. "You can get lured into thinking that it's going to be your night, and we can get out of here quickly, and you have to fight those emotions sometimes when you win a set 25-15.
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"To credit Toledo, I thought they did a great job of staying the course. They kind of reversed what we've been doing the last couple of matches, which is erasing a set-one deficit and turning it around to build some momentum of their own.
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"When our backs were against the wall, I felt like set four had to be the only focus for us. I feel like we have a group that has been in this fight before, and our messaging was we deserve to be aggressive, and have confidence in this moment because we earned it."
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Leaders
Thompson finished with 16 kills to lead five Chippewas who posted double-digit kill totals. Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez had 15, Maddie Whitfield had 11, and Kalina Smith and Anna Erickson added 10 each.
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"I think a big thing with our team is being aggressive towards the end (of the game)," Thompson said. "We know that they have good defense, and we knew that tipping wasn't going to work. I had confidence in my team in putting the ball up because I knew that was going to win the game. Whitfield, and all the other hitters, were really aggressive tonight and throughout the whole match."
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Kendall Braate posted 27 assists for the Chippewas, while Grace Butler had 25. Kern had a team-high 31 digs, while Thompson added 20.
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Numbers
CMU finished with an attack percentage of .177 to Toledo's .119. The Chippewas posted a season-high 111 digs and their 65 kills was their second-highest total of the season to the 67 they collected on Friday in a four-set victory over Ball State.
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Next
CMU will be on the road for both MAC games next weekend. The Chippewas go to Bowling Green on Friday, Oct. 18 (7 p.m.) and then to Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Oct. 20 (2:30 p.m.).
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The Central Michigan volleyball team defeated Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo in an emotional five-set match on Saturday at McGuirk Arena. The Chippewas improved to 16-2, 6-0 MAC; Toledo is 7-11, 0-6.
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The 16 wins are the most for a Chippewa team in Mike Gawlik's tenure as the coach. Gawlik is in his fourth year in charge of the program. His 2017 squad posted 15 wins.
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"Everybody on this team gets along so well," senior libero Megan Kern said. "We have such good team chemistry with each other. Whether you're playing or you're on the bench, everybody is supporting each other. I think knowing that people have your back and they're rooting for you helps with playing on the court, and playing well with each other."
Â
Building Blocks
Gawlik said a big part of the foundation for the success of this year's squad – the Chippewas hold a two-game lead over second-place Ball State in the MAC West – was laid last season.
Â
"I think this group, which is a lot of the same people from a year ago, didn't find maybe as many wins at the rate (last season) as we're finding them this season," he said. "I think we worked incredibly hard last year. We were a little young in some spots, we made some young mistakes which you need to make before you make savvy veteran plays. Those moments from a year ago are just as important as the moments from this year because you learn from those mistakes as well."
Â
How It Happened
CMU won the first set 25-15, and then Toledo took sets two and three, both 25-23. The Chippewas rallied to win the fourth, 25-21, breaking a 16-16 tie with three straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish.
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The fifth set followed a similar script. The Chippewas took advantage of three consecutive Toledo errors in breaking from an 11-11 tie to seize a 14-11 lead.
Â
Savannah Thompson had the set-winning kills in both of the final two sets.
Â
"I thought we came out of set one and shot out of a cannon," Gawlik said. "You can get lured into thinking that it's going to be your night, and we can get out of here quickly, and you have to fight those emotions sometimes when you win a set 25-15.
Â
"To credit Toledo, I thought they did a great job of staying the course. They kind of reversed what we've been doing the last couple of matches, which is erasing a set-one deficit and turning it around to build some momentum of their own.
Â
"When our backs were against the wall, I felt like set four had to be the only focus for us. I feel like we have a group that has been in this fight before, and our messaging was we deserve to be aggressive, and have confidence in this moment because we earned it."
Â
Leaders
Thompson finished with 16 kills to lead five Chippewas who posted double-digit kill totals. Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez had 15, Maddie Whitfield had 11, and Kalina Smith and Anna Erickson added 10 each.
Â
"I think a big thing with our team is being aggressive towards the end (of the game)," Thompson said. "We know that they have good defense, and we knew that tipping wasn't going to work. I had confidence in my team in putting the ball up because I knew that was going to win the game. Whitfield, and all the other hitters, were really aggressive tonight and throughout the whole match."
Â
Kendall Braate posted 27 assists for the Chippewas, while Grace Butler had 25. Kern had a team-high 31 digs, while Thompson added 20.
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Numbers
CMU finished with an attack percentage of .177 to Toledo's .119. The Chippewas posted a season-high 111 digs and their 65 kills was their second-highest total of the season to the 67 they collected on Friday in a four-set victory over Ball State.
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Next
CMU will be on the road for both MAC games next weekend. The Chippewas go to Bowling Green on Friday, Oct. 18 (7 p.m.) and then to Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Oct. 20 (2:30 p.m.).
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Team Stats
UT
CMU
Kills
52
65
Errors
28
30
Attempts
202
198
Hitting %
.119
.177
Points
69
79
Assists
49
61
Aces
4
2
Blocks
13
12
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
Setter/Opposite
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Setter
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Opposite/Outside Hitter
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