Thursday, February 4
Mount Pleasant, MI
6 P.M.
Central Michigan University
2-3,2-3MAC
3
vs
2
Northern Illinois
1-4,1-4MAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Northern Ill.
25
21
19
26
11
2
Central Mich.
22
25
25
24
15
3
Sophomore Anna Erickson posted a career-high 25 kills on Thursday in leading CMU past Northern Illinois at McGuirk Arena.
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Chippewas Dig Deep, Pull Out 5-Set Victory
2/4/2021 10:09:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Cohesiveness, composure, grit and help from some unexpected sources when it was sorely needed.
The Central Michigan volleyball team outlasted Northern Illinois in a grueling five-set Mid-American Conference match on Thursday at McGuirk Arena, snapping a three-match losing streak and improving to 2-3.
The Chippewas and Huskies will play the finale of their two-match set on Friday (2 p.m.) at McGuirk.
It was a big win for CMU, which was playing without two starters, Kendall Braate and Kalina Smith, who is injured and is out for the season.
How It Happened
NIU (1-4) took the opening set, 25-22, and then CMU responded with a 25-21 win in set two and a 25-19 victory in set three. The Huskies overcame a 5-0 deficit to take set four, 26-24, sending it to the decisive fifth set.
The Chippewas prevailed, 15-11, ending it on an Anna Erickson kill, her career-high 25th of the night.
"We had more intensity going into this match and we're out here to let people know who Central Michigan volleyball is and that's what we did," said Erickson in comparing the Chippewas' performance on Thursday to last week, when they dropped two matches at home to Kent State. "I was thinking about just being more terminal. That's what our whole offensive goal was as a team. Last weekend we didn't put as many balls away as we should have so we worked on that at practice."
Said CMU coach Mike Gawlik: "We're not going to be perfect, but I liked in set five that we're going for it. And that's my message in any set five, we're playing to win. And if we lose going for it, we can handle that, but we're certainly not going to wuss out in the moment. You've got to go for it. Errors are going to happen, and you have to rebound; set five was a good example of just staying with it."
Leaders
Erickson, who has emerged as one of CMU's top hitters early in the season, had just five errors and hit at .274. CMU's Savannah Thompson finished with 15 kills and hit .161. The pair combined for 129 attacks.
Four other Chippewas – Maddie Whitfield (10), Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez (9), Megan Siversten (8) and Sierra Gray (7) – made big contributions in the kills department. That kind of a balance is a very good sign, Gawlik said, and a credit to setters Grace Butler (32 assists) and Kamryn Olson (25).
"We played a lot more cohesive," he said. "I felt like we played together, I felt like we played for each other, I felt like we played more connected. And that's our block connecting to our defense and our setters connecting to our attackers and our passers connecting to each other.
"We really worked on those relationships all week and really kind of ironed out some of that hesitation that we maybe had a week ago. I felt like today we played a lot better team volleyball."
Stepping Up
It was a big night for Hannah Warners, a senior who made her first career start in place of Braate at libero. She finished with a team-high 31 digs, far and away her career high.
"Especially this year with COVID, anyone can be out at any time," Warners said. "I think just preparing in practice, mentally imagining yourself being in the game. Honestly, I think I was as prepared as I was because the team always lifts me up in practice and gives me confidence. I was just ready for this."
"I can't express how proud I am of Hannah Warners," Gawlik said, "and her commitment to our program over the past three years to be ready for a moment like this and to play really well. My heart is so big for her because I know she's ready for this moment. She's played more of a reserve role for a long time and I thought she just handled this situation with grace and preparedness and poise. I'm really proud of not only her, but the whole group."
Stepping Up II
Losing Smith to injury will force the Gawlik to adjust the lineup. The senior from Powell, Wyo. was a major contributor throughout her career and last season earned First Team All-MAC honors.
"I never doubted that she was going to bring her energy and her grit to practice and it's unfortunate that it ended the way it did," Gawlik said. "I wish her all the best and I feel like she gave her heart to the floor and to competition and was a big piece in moving our program in the right direction."
The Central Michigan volleyball team outlasted Northern Illinois in a grueling five-set Mid-American Conference match on Thursday at McGuirk Arena, snapping a three-match losing streak and improving to 2-3.
The Chippewas and Huskies will play the finale of their two-match set on Friday (2 p.m.) at McGuirk.
It was a big win for CMU, which was playing without two starters, Kendall Braate and Kalina Smith, who is injured and is out for the season.
How It Happened
NIU (1-4) took the opening set, 25-22, and then CMU responded with a 25-21 win in set two and a 25-19 victory in set three. The Huskies overcame a 5-0 deficit to take set four, 26-24, sending it to the decisive fifth set.
The Chippewas prevailed, 15-11, ending it on an Anna Erickson kill, her career-high 25th of the night.
"We had more intensity going into this match and we're out here to let people know who Central Michigan volleyball is and that's what we did," said Erickson in comparing the Chippewas' performance on Thursday to last week, when they dropped two matches at home to Kent State. "I was thinking about just being more terminal. That's what our whole offensive goal was as a team. Last weekend we didn't put as many balls away as we should have so we worked on that at practice."
Said CMU coach Mike Gawlik: "We're not going to be perfect, but I liked in set five that we're going for it. And that's my message in any set five, we're playing to win. And if we lose going for it, we can handle that, but we're certainly not going to wuss out in the moment. You've got to go for it. Errors are going to happen, and you have to rebound; set five was a good example of just staying with it."
Leaders
Erickson, who has emerged as one of CMU's top hitters early in the season, had just five errors and hit at .274. CMU's Savannah Thompson finished with 15 kills and hit .161. The pair combined for 129 attacks.
Four other Chippewas – Maddie Whitfield (10), Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez (9), Megan Siversten (8) and Sierra Gray (7) – made big contributions in the kills department. That kind of a balance is a very good sign, Gawlik said, and a credit to setters Grace Butler (32 assists) and Kamryn Olson (25).
"We played a lot more cohesive," he said. "I felt like we played together, I felt like we played for each other, I felt like we played more connected. And that's our block connecting to our defense and our setters connecting to our attackers and our passers connecting to each other.
"We really worked on those relationships all week and really kind of ironed out some of that hesitation that we maybe had a week ago. I felt like today we played a lot better team volleyball."
Stepping Up
It was a big night for Hannah Warners, a senior who made her first career start in place of Braate at libero. She finished with a team-high 31 digs, far and away her career high.
"Especially this year with COVID, anyone can be out at any time," Warners said. "I think just preparing in practice, mentally imagining yourself being in the game. Honestly, I think I was as prepared as I was because the team always lifts me up in practice and gives me confidence. I was just ready for this."
"I can't express how proud I am of Hannah Warners," Gawlik said, "and her commitment to our program over the past three years to be ready for a moment like this and to play really well. My heart is so big for her because I know she's ready for this moment. She's played more of a reserve role for a long time and I thought she just handled this situation with grace and preparedness and poise. I'm really proud of not only her, but the whole group."
Stepping Up II
Losing Smith to injury will force the Gawlik to adjust the lineup. The senior from Powell, Wyo. was a major contributor throughout her career and last season earned First Team All-MAC honors.
"I never doubted that she was going to bring her energy and her grit to practice and it's unfortunate that it ended the way it did," Gawlik said. "I wish her all the best and I feel like she gave her heart to the floor and to competition and was a big piece in moving our program in the right direction."
Team Stats
NIU
CMU
Kills
60
74
Errors
25
23
Attempts
205
224
Hitting %
.171
.228
Points
73
89
Assists
58
62
Aces
4
5
Blocks
9
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
25
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
15
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
Libero/Setter
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ VolleyballOpposite/Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Setter/Opposite
/ VolleyballMiddle Blocker
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
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