Central Michigan University Athletics
Thursday, January 28
Mount Pleasant, MI
6 P.M.
Central Michigan University
vs
Kent State
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Chippewa Volleyball Team Welcomes Kent State For Home Opener
1/27/2021 3:43:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan volleyball team will entertain Kent State in a Mid-American Conference two-match series beginning on Thursday (6 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena.
It is the home opener for the Chippewas, who kicked off the season last weekend by splitting two MAC matches at Ohio. The CMU-Kent State series concludes on Friday (2 p.m.).
Thursday's match will be the first of the season for the Golden Flashes, who last week saw a postponement of their scheduled matches with Eastern Michigan.
The Chippewas won a five-setter in their opener at Ohio, claiming their first victory against the Bobcats in Athens, Ohio since 1999. Ohio won the second match in straight sets.
"I thought our fight was a 10 out of 10," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said after last weekend's matches. "It was a great test for us because I think Ohio's one of the elite teams in the league. … (Ohio) is a team that we're going to have to go through if we want to go where we want to go."
The Chippewas, who were picked to win the MAC West in the preseason coaches poll, and their MAC brethren are playing a schedule in 2021 unlike any they have ever faced.
Volleyball, normally a fall sport, was moved to winter when the COVID pandemic wiped out the fall season. Teams are scheduled to play 22 matches, almost exclusively on back-to-back days (typically Thursdays and Fridays) against the same opponent in the same gym, rather than two separate opponents on a given weekend as has been the custom.
Where They Stand
At 1-1, CMU is in third place in the MAC West, one game behind Ball State and Western Michigan. The Cardinals and Broncos both swept their opening-weekend opponents.
Numbers
Outside hitters Savannah Thompson and Anna Erickson provided much of the Chippewas' offensive punch at Ohio, combining for 63 kills in the two matches. Thompson is second in the MAC with a .484 hitting percentage and leads the conference with 6.0 kills per set.
Offensively, the Chippewas are fourth in the MAC in hitting percentage (.262) and second in kills per set (16.0) and assists per set (14.33).
Scouting
The Golden Flashes return plenty from a team that finished 14-15 (7-9 MAC) in the 2019 season. Among the top returnees are sophomores Morgan Copley and Savannah Matthews, both of whom earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team in '19. Matthews ranked second on the team with 267 kills, while Copley was third with 260.
Junior Danie Tyson, who was fourth with 229 kills in 2019, also returns as does junior setter Alex Haffner, an All-MAC honorable mention a year ago. Defensive specialist/libero Erin Gardner, a junior, ranked fourth in the conference in 2019 with 35 aces.
Next
The Chippewas will remain at home to face Northern Illinois next week. The teams will square off on Thursday, Feb. 4 (6 p.m.) and on Friday, Feb. 5 (2 p.m.).
NIU is 0-2 after opening last weekend with a pair of losses at Bowling Green. The Huskies are scheduled to entertain Toledo beginning on Thursday.
It is the home opener for the Chippewas, who kicked off the season last weekend by splitting two MAC matches at Ohio. The CMU-Kent State series concludes on Friday (2 p.m.).
Thursday's match will be the first of the season for the Golden Flashes, who last week saw a postponement of their scheduled matches with Eastern Michigan.
The Chippewas won a five-setter in their opener at Ohio, claiming their first victory against the Bobcats in Athens, Ohio since 1999. Ohio won the second match in straight sets.
"I thought our fight was a 10 out of 10," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said after last weekend's matches. "It was a great test for us because I think Ohio's one of the elite teams in the league. … (Ohio) is a team that we're going to have to go through if we want to go where we want to go."
The Chippewas, who were picked to win the MAC West in the preseason coaches poll, and their MAC brethren are playing a schedule in 2021 unlike any they have ever faced.
Volleyball, normally a fall sport, was moved to winter when the COVID pandemic wiped out the fall season. Teams are scheduled to play 22 matches, almost exclusively on back-to-back days (typically Thursdays and Fridays) against the same opponent in the same gym, rather than two separate opponents on a given weekend as has been the custom.
Where They Stand
At 1-1, CMU is in third place in the MAC West, one game behind Ball State and Western Michigan. The Cardinals and Broncos both swept their opening-weekend opponents.
Numbers
Outside hitters Savannah Thompson and Anna Erickson provided much of the Chippewas' offensive punch at Ohio, combining for 63 kills in the two matches. Thompson is second in the MAC with a .484 hitting percentage and leads the conference with 6.0 kills per set.
Offensively, the Chippewas are fourth in the MAC in hitting percentage (.262) and second in kills per set (16.0) and assists per set (14.33).
Scouting
The Golden Flashes return plenty from a team that finished 14-15 (7-9 MAC) in the 2019 season. Among the top returnees are sophomores Morgan Copley and Savannah Matthews, both of whom earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team in '19. Matthews ranked second on the team with 267 kills, while Copley was third with 260.
Junior Danie Tyson, who was fourth with 229 kills in 2019, also returns as does junior setter Alex Haffner, an All-MAC honorable mention a year ago. Defensive specialist/libero Erin Gardner, a junior, ranked fourth in the conference in 2019 with 35 aces.
Next
The Chippewas will remain at home to face Northern Illinois next week. The teams will square off on Thursday, Feb. 4 (6 p.m.) and on Friday, Feb. 5 (2 p.m.).
NIU is 0-2 after opening last weekend with a pair of losses at Bowling Green. The Huskies are scheduled to entertain Toledo beginning on Thursday.
Players Mentioned
Opposite/Outside Hitter
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