Thursday, February 11
Kalamazoo, MI
7 P.M.
Central Michigan University
3-4,3-4MAC
1
at
3
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
5-2,5-2MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Central Mich.
21
18
25
22
1
Western Mich.
25
25
21
25
3
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Chippewas Drop Opener At Western
2/11/2021 10:30:00 PM | Volleyball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A slow start against a team bent on feeding its star hitter proved too much for the Central Michigan volleyball team to overcome on Thursday.
The Chippewas dropped a Mid-American Conference four-setter to rival Western Michigan in the Broncos' University Arena. The loss ended CMU's win streak at two matches and left the Chippewas 3-4 both overall and in the league.
The teams are slated to complete their two-match series on Friday (2 p.m.).
Western (5-2) seized control midway through the first set and early in the second, jumping to a 2-0 lead, 25-21, 25-18. CMU rallied to take the third, 25-21, before Western won a tight fourth, 25-22.
"Mature teams learn throughout a season and throughout a match," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "Our quality of first-ball contact was limiting our setters' ability to make decisions and run our offense. We wanted to bring our grit and our fight early on and got caught maybe looking in the rearview mirror and being frustrated about what we weren't doing.
"Are we in a position where we can capitalize on some of the things that they showed weakness at, and can we fill up some of the opportunities that are out there for us and turn them into points for our side? I don't think that we have to play that much better (on Friday) to find success, but I do think we have to be more accountable to our roles. Tomorrow's a new day and we've got to turn that page pretty quickly."
How It Happened
Western Michigan led 17-15 in the first set and then scored four of the next five points to take a 21-16 lead. CMU never got closer than three points the rest of the way. Western went on an 8-0 run in the second set, turning a 6-6 tie into a 14-6 lead and CMU never got closer than five the rest of the way.
"I really didn't think that we were playing deficient volleyball in the first two sets," Gawlik said. "We just had to handle our opportunities. … We didn't turn the opportunities that they gave us into points."
CMU trailed 11-4 in the third set, then battled back to forge a 15-15 tie. Down 21-20, the Chippewas scored five straight points to claim the set. Megan Siversten and Savannah Thompson had two kills apiece during the set-winning spurt.
Neither team led by more than three points in the back-and-forth final set, which featured nine ties, the last at 21-21. Western scored four of the next five points – the Chippweas' lone point came on a Bronco service error – to nail down the win.
"I did like the response we had in set three and we were able to steal that one," Gawlik said. "I thought we played pretty well. Set four was a coin flip either way. We've got to find a way to close out those sets.
"We're going to watch some video and we're going to see that there were some opportunities that we didn't capitalize on. Not that we didn't create opportunities and I think that's always a better spot to be in, when the opportunity is there versus you didn't create it all."
Numbers
The Chippewas finished with a .187 hitting percentage, their second lowest of the season; Western Michigan hit at .268.
CMU finished with nine blocks, marking the first time in three matches that it has not reached double digits in that category.
Leaders
The Broncos limited CMU's kills leaders, outside hitters Anna Erickson and Thompson. Both finished with identical stat lines: 12 kills and seven errors on 44 attacks for a .114 hitting percentage.
The issue wasn't the number of swings taken by the pair, but rather the quality. The Chippewas were often scrambling to get the ball to their setters and that allowed the Broncos to set up their block.
"Because our first-ball quality of contact wasn't great, the opportunities that (Erickson and Thompson) got weren't really great looks all the time," Gawlik said. "I don't know that they ever got into a rhythm because of how many out-of-system opportunities they had to manage, and the block of Western did a pretty good job of disrupting some of their free swings."
Siversten and Maddie Whitfield, two of CMU's middles, combined for 16 kills and a .484 hitting percentage.
"The good opportunities that we created with our first-ball contact kind of went toward (Whitfield and Siversten) being successful," Gawlik said.
Defending Western
Western senior Rachel Bontrager, the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Week, had 22 kills and hit at 33.3 percent. She was also effective on defense, collecting seven blocks.
"I think she's probably one of the most-elite players in our league," Gawlik said. "It's hard to eliminate her impact as a blocker. When you allow her to key in on just one attacker, she's a pretty good blocker. We have to shoulder the load a little bit better by providing opportunities for our setters to be in a position where they can make decisions as opposed to having only one option."
The Chippewas dropped a Mid-American Conference four-setter to rival Western Michigan in the Broncos' University Arena. The loss ended CMU's win streak at two matches and left the Chippewas 3-4 both overall and in the league.
The teams are slated to complete their two-match series on Friday (2 p.m.).
Western (5-2) seized control midway through the first set and early in the second, jumping to a 2-0 lead, 25-21, 25-18. CMU rallied to take the third, 25-21, before Western won a tight fourth, 25-22.
"Mature teams learn throughout a season and throughout a match," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "Our quality of first-ball contact was limiting our setters' ability to make decisions and run our offense. We wanted to bring our grit and our fight early on and got caught maybe looking in the rearview mirror and being frustrated about what we weren't doing.
"Are we in a position where we can capitalize on some of the things that they showed weakness at, and can we fill up some of the opportunities that are out there for us and turn them into points for our side? I don't think that we have to play that much better (on Friday) to find success, but I do think we have to be more accountable to our roles. Tomorrow's a new day and we've got to turn that page pretty quickly."
How It Happened
Western Michigan led 17-15 in the first set and then scored four of the next five points to take a 21-16 lead. CMU never got closer than three points the rest of the way. Western went on an 8-0 run in the second set, turning a 6-6 tie into a 14-6 lead and CMU never got closer than five the rest of the way.
"I really didn't think that we were playing deficient volleyball in the first two sets," Gawlik said. "We just had to handle our opportunities. … We didn't turn the opportunities that they gave us into points."
CMU trailed 11-4 in the third set, then battled back to forge a 15-15 tie. Down 21-20, the Chippewas scored five straight points to claim the set. Megan Siversten and Savannah Thompson had two kills apiece during the set-winning spurt.
Neither team led by more than three points in the back-and-forth final set, which featured nine ties, the last at 21-21. Western scored four of the next five points – the Chippweas' lone point came on a Bronco service error – to nail down the win.
"I did like the response we had in set three and we were able to steal that one," Gawlik said. "I thought we played pretty well. Set four was a coin flip either way. We've got to find a way to close out those sets.
"We're going to watch some video and we're going to see that there were some opportunities that we didn't capitalize on. Not that we didn't create opportunities and I think that's always a better spot to be in, when the opportunity is there versus you didn't create it all."
Numbers
The Chippewas finished with a .187 hitting percentage, their second lowest of the season; Western Michigan hit at .268.
CMU finished with nine blocks, marking the first time in three matches that it has not reached double digits in that category.
Leaders
The Broncos limited CMU's kills leaders, outside hitters Anna Erickson and Thompson. Both finished with identical stat lines: 12 kills and seven errors on 44 attacks for a .114 hitting percentage.
The issue wasn't the number of swings taken by the pair, but rather the quality. The Chippewas were often scrambling to get the ball to their setters and that allowed the Broncos to set up their block.
"Because our first-ball quality of contact wasn't great, the opportunities that (Erickson and Thompson) got weren't really great looks all the time," Gawlik said. "I don't know that they ever got into a rhythm because of how many out-of-system opportunities they had to manage, and the block of Western did a pretty good job of disrupting some of their free swings."
Siversten and Maddie Whitfield, two of CMU's middles, combined for 16 kills and a .484 hitting percentage.
"The good opportunities that we created with our first-ball contact kind of went toward (Whitfield and Siversten) being successful," Gawlik said.
Defending Western
Western senior Rachel Bontrager, the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Week, had 22 kills and hit at 33.3 percent. She was also effective on defense, collecting seven blocks.
"I think she's probably one of the most-elite players in our league," Gawlik said. "It's hard to eliminate her impact as a blocker. When you allow her to key in on just one attacker, she's a pretty good blocker. We have to shoulder the load a little bit better by providing opportunities for our setters to be in a position where they can make decisions as opposed to having only one option."
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
CMU
WMU
Kills
51
62
Errors
22
20
Attempts
155
157
Hitting %
.187
.268
Points
66
77
Assists
49
57
Aces
6
3
Blocks
9
12
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
Opposite/Outside Hitter
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
/ VolleyballMiddle Blocker
/ 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