Friday, November 12
Mount Pleasant, MI
6 P.M.
Central Michigan University
12-16,6-10MAC
3
vs
1
Toledo
18-10,9-7MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Toledo
23
25
23
14
1
Central Mich.
25
18
25
25
3
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Volleyball Downs Toledo, Remains In Hunt For MAC Tournament Berth
11/12/2021 10:47:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- As the clock that marks the end of the 2021 Mid-American Conference season dwindles down, the Central Michigan volleyball team finds itself with more and more determination with each match.
With a four-set MAC win over Toledo in McGuirk Arena on Friday, the Chippewas fought to stay alive in the hunt for a ticket to the MAC Tournament.
"I think more than anything, there's a path or a couple little paths that we could get into the tournament," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "More than anything, our focus is just on that we have to take care of our business now … it would be a shame if the door was wide open and we don't walk through it, so the job is to win our matches, and that started with tonight."
CMU has just two matches left on the regular season schedule. The Chippewas will meet the Rockets again on Saturday (4 p.m.) before bringing the final battle with Eastern Michigan home to McGuirk Arena on Nov. 17 (6 p.m.). CMU is 12-16, 6-10 MAC. They are chasing Northern Illinois, which is 8-8 in conference play after a five-set win on Friday over Buffalo.
The Chippewas put forth a strong start to set one on Friday, pulling ahead early, while Toledo rallied later in the set to tighten the score. CMU claimed the first set, 25-23, before dropping the second frame, 25-18, after Toledo jumped out to an early 8-0 start to stun the Chippewas.
"It was really just this five, six, seven minutes of chronological time that we just didn't quite have it," Gawlik said. "A good server (Toledo's Sinalauli'i Uluave) put us into a couple tough spots, I thought we passed a couple of them well enough that we could terminate and just didn't, and we just let her get into a rhythm back there.
"Even set two as a whole, I don't think we played poorly. I just think it was such a slow start that it's hard to work out."
Intense rallies kept the score close throughout the third set. CMU and Toledo tied the score 11 times in the set, while the lead was exchanged seven times. Linnea Willer put the Chippewas on top with the set-claiming kill, winning 25-23.
With a shot at victory now in CMU's grasp, the Chippewas pushed the offense hard to shut down the Rockets and succeeded, with much help from outside hitter Sierra Gray. Gray, who accumulated six kills each in sets three and four, slammed down the final kill that gave CMU the victory at 25-14.
"Getting Sierra Gray into the game," Gawlik said. "She killed 12 balls in two sets, dug 11 and had a service ace. She came in and I think was a little bit of a difference maker for us down the stretch, just a little shot of energy that she provides."
Gawlik also noted the contributions of Willer and Anna Erickson, who put forth 11 and eight kills, respectively, and added one solo block each.
Senior Savannah Thompson led CMU in kills with 14, paired with two blocks. Setter Grace Butler finished with 25 assists, and libero Aly Gurtiza contributed 24 digs.
"We took a big step forward and we've got to respond back," Gawlik said. "Toledo will play better (on Saturday), and we have to be ready for that. I think we will play better tomorrow as well. It's Senior Night for us – we have nine seniors -- so I think emotions run high. You can play with a lot of passion and grit when you're in that kind of spot.
"I like our odds, but we're going to have to come and match, I think, a better performance by Toledo tomorrow."
With a four-set MAC win over Toledo in McGuirk Arena on Friday, the Chippewas fought to stay alive in the hunt for a ticket to the MAC Tournament.
"I think more than anything, there's a path or a couple little paths that we could get into the tournament," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "More than anything, our focus is just on that we have to take care of our business now … it would be a shame if the door was wide open and we don't walk through it, so the job is to win our matches, and that started with tonight."
CMU has just two matches left on the regular season schedule. The Chippewas will meet the Rockets again on Saturday (4 p.m.) before bringing the final battle with Eastern Michigan home to McGuirk Arena on Nov. 17 (6 p.m.). CMU is 12-16, 6-10 MAC. They are chasing Northern Illinois, which is 8-8 in conference play after a five-set win on Friday over Buffalo.
The Chippewas put forth a strong start to set one on Friday, pulling ahead early, while Toledo rallied later in the set to tighten the score. CMU claimed the first set, 25-23, before dropping the second frame, 25-18, after Toledo jumped out to an early 8-0 start to stun the Chippewas.
"It was really just this five, six, seven minutes of chronological time that we just didn't quite have it," Gawlik said. "A good server (Toledo's Sinalauli'i Uluave) put us into a couple tough spots, I thought we passed a couple of them well enough that we could terminate and just didn't, and we just let her get into a rhythm back there.
"Even set two as a whole, I don't think we played poorly. I just think it was such a slow start that it's hard to work out."
Intense rallies kept the score close throughout the third set. CMU and Toledo tied the score 11 times in the set, while the lead was exchanged seven times. Linnea Willer put the Chippewas on top with the set-claiming kill, winning 25-23.
With a shot at victory now in CMU's grasp, the Chippewas pushed the offense hard to shut down the Rockets and succeeded, with much help from outside hitter Sierra Gray. Gray, who accumulated six kills each in sets three and four, slammed down the final kill that gave CMU the victory at 25-14.
"Getting Sierra Gray into the game," Gawlik said. "She killed 12 balls in two sets, dug 11 and had a service ace. She came in and I think was a little bit of a difference maker for us down the stretch, just a little shot of energy that she provides."
Gawlik also noted the contributions of Willer and Anna Erickson, who put forth 11 and eight kills, respectively, and added one solo block each.
Senior Savannah Thompson led CMU in kills with 14, paired with two blocks. Setter Grace Butler finished with 25 assists, and libero Aly Gurtiza contributed 24 digs.
"We took a big step forward and we've got to respond back," Gawlik said. "Toledo will play better (on Saturday), and we have to be ready for that. I think we will play better tomorrow as well. It's Senior Night for us – we have nine seniors -- so I think emotions run high. You can play with a lot of passion and grit when you're in that kind of spot.
"I like our odds, but we're going to have to come and match, I think, a better performance by Toledo tomorrow."
Team Stats
UT
CMU
Kills
39
57
Errors
26
23
Attempts
155
175
Hitting %
.084
.194
Points
57
64
Assists
37
50
Aces
7
2
Blocks
11
5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
Setter
/ VolleyballOpposite/Outside Hitter
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Libero/Defensive Specialist
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
/ VolleyballInterview With Adam Jaksa and Arielle Wilson
Tuesday, August 26
BTS Volleyball Media Day
Thursday, August 07
Volleyball Passing Out Donuts
Thursday, April 10
Volleyball Sign Question
Tuesday, February 11