Volleyball Falls in MAC Opener

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Central Michigan volleyball began its MAC schedule on Thursday evening, falling to Ball State in straight sets in Muncie.

The Chippewas finished off the match strong, taking the Cardinals to extra points and boasting a hitting percentage .432 on 19 kills before being edged out 27-25 in the deciding set. It was a big improvement from their prior two sets in which they hit .094 and .114, respectively.

CMU ultimately posted a combined .212 hitting percentage, falling 15-25, 21-25, 25-27.

Senior middle blocker Elly Medendorp led the Chippewas with 10 kills on the night, hitting an impressive .500 and chipping in a block assist as well. Junior libero Aly Gurtiza led the way defensively, digging 14 balls, and sophomore setter Claire Ammeraal assisted on 32 kills.

During the first set, the Chippewas kept pace with Ball State, holding on to just a one-point deficit at 5-6 early on. However, the Cardinals went on a seven-point run and never looked back.

CMU rebounded after a lopsided first set by challenging Ball State throughout the second set despite being outscored 8-4 in the first 12 points. Over the next 10 points, the Chippewas picked it up defensively and took advantage of a trio of attack errors from the Cardinals. While Ball State ended up taking the set, Head Coach Mike Gawlik noted that his team picked up the offensive pressure after the slow start.

"During set one, we got knocked back on our heels a bit," Gawlik said. "Our first-ball contact and our attacking were all over the place. But I thought we righted the ship there in set two and were really competitive for the entire thing."

Set three was as closely contested as they come, with neither team holding more than a four-point advantage at any point in the closing set. Medendorp chipped in five kills and her block during the set, drawing praise from coach Gawlik after the match.

"Elly is the kind of player for us that has been around for a bit," Gawlik said. "She plays with the guts and passion, and I think when we rely on her, she can come through in some big moments. It kind of sets the tone for the group."

Fielding a roster that isn't necessarily rife with players as experienced as Medendorp, Gawlik knows that matches like today are important for some of those players.

"For some of the younger players in our lineup, there's no fast way to getting them that experience," he said. "There's no fairy dust that just makes you an experienced player all of a sudden. And we have to learn those lessons, and sometimes you learn those lessons in losses or when you fall short of your goals. We've got to push forward in that category and make sure that we're growing even when we find ourselves on the short end of the match."

CMU returns to Worthen Arena on Friday at 6 p.m. to match up with the Cardinals again for the finale of its first MAC series of the season.

Next Event

Team Stats

Elly Medendorp

Brooklyn Conner

Lauren Schrock

Linnea Willer

Players Mentioned

Claire Ammeraal

Aly Gurtiza

Elly Medendorp

Players Mentioned

Claire Ammeraal

Aly Gurtiza

Elly Medendorp