Friday, October 7
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
6 p.m.
Central Michigan University
11-6,4-2MAC
3
vs
0
Kent State
10-6,1-4MAC
1
2
3
F
Kent St.
15
13
23
0
Central Mich.
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Volleyball Bounces Back, Sweeps Kent State
10/7/2022 10:39:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Maddie Whitfield totaled nine blocks and finished with a team-high .500 hitting percentage on Friday as the Central Michigan volleyball team defeated Kent State in straight sets in a Mid-American Conference match at McGuirk Arena.
Whitfield, a senior middle blocker, totaled nine kills on 16 attempts to lead the Chippewas alongside senior outside hitter Mallory Hernandez, who also had nine kills and posted six blocks.
CMU, which fell in straight sets to Ohio on Thursday, is 11-6, 4-2 MAC. The Golden Flashes fell to 10-6, 1-4.
"Good teams have to bounce back," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "(Thursday) night, I don't think we played awful, but we needed to step up in some key moments. We challenged our team (against Kent State) and looked at some film because we've got to grow from it. We can't ignore (Thursday) but we can learn from it.
"We went from one of our more inconsistent blocking matches of the year to our best blocking match of the year with just a little bit more attention to the points that put us in a position to be successful. It's really good to see from a team that has a really mature response (to the loss) because this is a growth moment."
Aggressiveness was the key for the Chippewas as freshman outside hitter Natalia Rejment delivered four of CMU's seven aces, three of which fell consecutively in the first set for a 15-9 lead. Though the Chippewas and the Golden Flashes split the next 16 points evenly, the set fell to CMU, 25-15.
Hernandez and Whitfield teamed up to deliver three of five blocks in set two as the Chippewas built a 17-4 lead, forcing two Kent State timeouts. CMU went on to claim the set, 25-13, while maintaining a .302 attack percentage and holding the Golden Flashes to .049.
The Chippewas and the Golden Flashes tied the score 13 times in the third set as CMU forfeited its lead for the first time in the match. Kent State led early, 4-1, but was quickly met by the Chippewas' 15-13 takeover.
Down 22-20, CMU's Claire Ammeraal delivered back-to-back aces to knot the ste for the final time at 22. CMU then claimed three of the next four points to take the set, 25-23, and the match.
The Chippewas committed just three attack errors across three sets and finished with an overall .264 attack percentage. Kent State hit .103 and finished with 21 errors.
"We don't kill balls at the same rate that a lot of other teams do," Gawlik said. "But, what we do is keep their attack percentage very low when we're playing very well. When you hit .260 and they hit .103, we can be patient, we trust our defense and our block to score us points."
Rejment and junior middle blocker Elly Medendorp posted seven kills apiece for CMU. Medendorp finished with a .316 hitting percentage and added six blocks.
Ammeraal, a freshman setter, contributed 29 assists and three aces, while sophomore libero Aly Gurtiza finished with 24 digs.
The Chippewas are scheduled to play a pair of road matches at Bowling Green on Friday, Oct. 14 (6 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 15 (4 p.m.) at the Falcons' Stroh Center. Bowling Green is 9-7, 4-1 MAC after falling in four sets at Northern Illinois on Friday.
Whitfield, a senior middle blocker, totaled nine kills on 16 attempts to lead the Chippewas alongside senior outside hitter Mallory Hernandez, who also had nine kills and posted six blocks.
CMU, which fell in straight sets to Ohio on Thursday, is 11-6, 4-2 MAC. The Golden Flashes fell to 10-6, 1-4.
"Good teams have to bounce back," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "(Thursday) night, I don't think we played awful, but we needed to step up in some key moments. We challenged our team (against Kent State) and looked at some film because we've got to grow from it. We can't ignore (Thursday) but we can learn from it.
"We went from one of our more inconsistent blocking matches of the year to our best blocking match of the year with just a little bit more attention to the points that put us in a position to be successful. It's really good to see from a team that has a really mature response (to the loss) because this is a growth moment."
Aggressiveness was the key for the Chippewas as freshman outside hitter Natalia Rejment delivered four of CMU's seven aces, three of which fell consecutively in the first set for a 15-9 lead. Though the Chippewas and the Golden Flashes split the next 16 points evenly, the set fell to CMU, 25-15.
Hernandez and Whitfield teamed up to deliver three of five blocks in set two as the Chippewas built a 17-4 lead, forcing two Kent State timeouts. CMU went on to claim the set, 25-13, while maintaining a .302 attack percentage and holding the Golden Flashes to .049.
The Chippewas and the Golden Flashes tied the score 13 times in the third set as CMU forfeited its lead for the first time in the match. Kent State led early, 4-1, but was quickly met by the Chippewas' 15-13 takeover.
Down 22-20, CMU's Claire Ammeraal delivered back-to-back aces to knot the ste for the final time at 22. CMU then claimed three of the next four points to take the set, 25-23, and the match.
The Chippewas committed just three attack errors across three sets and finished with an overall .264 attack percentage. Kent State hit .103 and finished with 21 errors.
"We don't kill balls at the same rate that a lot of other teams do," Gawlik said. "But, what we do is keep their attack percentage very low when we're playing very well. When you hit .260 and they hit .103, we can be patient, we trust our defense and our block to score us points."
Rejment and junior middle blocker Elly Medendorp posted seven kills apiece for CMU. Medendorp finished with a .316 hitting percentage and added six blocks.
Ammeraal, a freshman setter, contributed 29 assists and three aces, while sophomore libero Aly Gurtiza finished with 24 digs.
The Chippewas are scheduled to play a pair of road matches at Bowling Green on Friday, Oct. 14 (6 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 15 (4 p.m.) at the Falcons' Stroh Center. Bowling Green is 9-7, 4-1 MAC after falling in four sets at Northern Illinois on Friday.
Team Stats
KentSt
CMU
Kills
33
41
Errors
21
8
Attempts
117
125
Hitting %
.103
.264
Points
40
63
Assists
30
33
Aces
3
7
Blocks
4
15
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
7
Aces
4
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/Defensive Specialist
/ VolleyballOutside Hitter
/ VolleyballMiddle Blocker
/ 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