Celebration Put On Hold

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Central Michigan volleyball team will have to wait.

Eastern Michigan spoiled the party on Thursday in what could have been a celebration and a coronation on the McGuirk Arena floor, as the Eagles swept the Chippewas in straight sets in a Mid-American Conference match.

A win would have given CMU a share of its first MAC West title since 2003. Instead, the Chippewas will have to hold off, at least until now, and if there is any celebrating by CMU, it will have to occur in a MAC gym other than its own.

The Chippewas are 20-5 overall, 10-3 MAC and play their final three conference matches on the road, beginning on Saturday at Ohio (6 p.m.).

CMU leads second-place Ball State, which is 7-5 in conference play, by 2 ½ games. If the Cardinals lose at Western Michigan on Friday, that would give the Chippewas a share of the divisional crown, and, under that scenario, CMU would make the title all its own with a win on Saturday at Ohio.

"It wasn't the outcome we wanted," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said after Thursday's match. "I didn't think we brought our best execution tonight, but I said to this group in the locker room: I love a lot of things about this team and that doesn't change because we didn't have our best match.

"We're an awfully good squad. We have a decision to make about how to deal with a sweep in our own building."

The Chippewas close the regular season next weekend at Toledo, on Friday, Nov. 15; and at Ball State, on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Gawlik said he looks at the 16-game league schedule as chapters. The book is far from complete, and CMU can write its own ending.

"We have an opportunity with three more chapters in our 16-chapter book on the MAC season on how that season is going to end," he said. "Our first focus is moving onto chapter 14, which is being played in Athens, Ohio on Saturday."

How It Happened
After losing set one, 25-18, CMU made late pushes in both the second and third sets. However, the Eagles proved resilient in both cases, pulling away late to take set two, 27-25, and set three, 25-22.

"The group started off a bit slow," Gawlik said. "I give credit to Eastern for jumping out early and feeling a little blood in the water. I don't think we brought our best to the gym tonight, but I do think we had these spurts of points that got us back within reach. I liked our push and our fight."

The Chippewas defeated Eastern in four sets on Oct. 3. In that match, CMU won the final three sets consecutively. Thursday's loss was the Chippewas' first in straight sets in a league match; their other two came in five sets. It also marked just the second time all season that CMU has been swept.

"We know that they're a fiery team and that's something they use to their advantage," CMU sophomore Savannah Thompson said. "That was something we needed to realize and push back (against).

"I think the big thing for us is we need to focus on our side and we needed to do that a little better tonight. It's something we need to learn from. I know the foundation and the backbone of our team is something that is really going to hold us for the next three matches, and throughout postseason."

Leaders
EMU finished with a team hitting percentage of .248, while CMU posted .157.

Kalina Smith had 13 kills and Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez added 11 kills to lead the Chippewas at the net. Rosario-Martinez finished with a .364 hitting percentage.

Grace Butler finished with 32 assists, and Megan Kern had 16 digs, while Smith and Thompson added 15 each.

Eastern is 9-15, 5-8. Ohio, CMU's opponent on Saturday, is 13-13, 5-8 after falling in straight sets to Kent State on Thursday. The Bobcats have lost five consecutive matches.

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Team Stats

Kalina Smith

Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez

Savannah Thompson

Ara Wilson

Players Mentioned

Grace Butler

Megan Kern

Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez

Kalina Smith

Savannah Thompson

Players Mentioned

Grace Butler

Megan Kern

Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez

Kalina Smith

Savannah Thompson