Thursday, October 17
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
6:00 PM
Central Michigan University
15-5,6-2MAC
3
vs
0
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Western Michigan
7-11,3-4MAC
1
2
3
F
Western Mich.
23
18
21
0
Central Mich.
25
25
25
3
Freshman Grace Thomas had a career-high 16 kills on Thursday in CMU's straight-sets victory over Western Michigan at McGuirk Arena.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Thomas Leads Volleyball Sweep of Western Michigan
10/17/2024 11:50:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Grace Thomas had a career-high 16 kills on Thursday as the Central Michigan volleyball team swept Western Michigan in a Mid-American Conference match at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas won, 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 to improve to 15-5, 6-2 MAC. They share first place with Toledo, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo and entertain Northern Illinois (3-14, 1-6) on Friday (6 p.m.) at McGuirk.
It was a big win for the Chippewas over their rival and defending MAC-champion Broncos.
"They whipped us last year and to get them in our building and return the favor a little bit feels good," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "I've got a lot of respect for Western Michigan and what they've done over the last two years. I think they've been the benchmark in the league and somebody you want to measure yourself against.
"We kind of enjoy it and re-set and get to tomorrow. The energy in the building was good tonight, we had good fan attendance and I think that matters. Our vibe in the gym from start to finish was really positive and it was let's go for it, let it rip."
CMU has won three of its last four matches. Two of those wins were five-setters over Bowling Green and Ball State.
"We've kind of tested ourselves against what I think is a really good Ball State team and a really good Bowling Green team and I think our team's really starting to drink the Kool-Aid, so to say," Gawlik said. "We can really do special things if we're willing to put it out there and see what happens."
Led by Thomas, the Chippewas hit at .298 against the Broncos.
They broke from a 16-16 tie in the first set, building a 22-18 lead. Thomas recorded a kill to make it 24-22 and then Lauren Schrock notched set point with a kill.
The Chippewas built a 13-7 lead in the second set and Western never got closer than four points the rest of the way. CMU hit at a blistering .424 in the second set after posting a .283 in the first.
"I didn't say anything magic," Gawlik said. "There's no pixie dust. If anything, I feel like in a match like tonight I'm going to take myself completely out of it. I wrote down the lineup and at some point you just stay out of your team's way. We were really cooking with gas."
In the third and final set, Thomas recorded a kill to break an 18-18 tie and give the Chippewas the lead for good. Schrock posted back-to-back kills down the stretch as CMU pulled away.
Schrock and Natalia Rejment finished with nine kills apiece. Hannah Langton led the Chippewas with 21 digs and setter Allie Korba had 40 assists.
Rejment finished with 12 points and 11 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
"Nat serves a big role for us," Gawlik said. "When we're off the net, we know she's going to do responsible things with the ball.
"Every team needs somebody like that and she's just been doing a really good job for us. She passes, she serves, she defends, she brings a lot to the table other than just attacking. She's just been a rock for us and helps us create first-ball opportunities and get the ball to other people as well."
Thomas, a freshman, finished with a .660 attack percentage. Her previous career high of 13 kills came on Oct. 4 against Ball State.
"My setter (Korba) was setting some amazing balls and really just gave me a lot of confidence throughout the night," Thomas said. "The team as a whole really came out ready to execute our jobs tonight.
"We talk about having a swag and tonight, especially, we really wanted to come out with a lot of confidence in ourselves and play for each other."
In the last four matches, four different players have led the Chippewas in kills.
"We have a lot of depth as a group," Thomas said. "Anyone on the bench can come out and have a killer night and it just keeps us all motivated and keeps the other team wondering where the ball's going to go."
The Chippewas won, 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 to improve to 15-5, 6-2 MAC. They share first place with Toledo, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo and entertain Northern Illinois (3-14, 1-6) on Friday (6 p.m.) at McGuirk.
It was a big win for the Chippewas over their rival and defending MAC-champion Broncos.
"They whipped us last year and to get them in our building and return the favor a little bit feels good," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "I've got a lot of respect for Western Michigan and what they've done over the last two years. I think they've been the benchmark in the league and somebody you want to measure yourself against.
"We kind of enjoy it and re-set and get to tomorrow. The energy in the building was good tonight, we had good fan attendance and I think that matters. Our vibe in the gym from start to finish was really positive and it was let's go for it, let it rip."
CMU has won three of its last four matches. Two of those wins were five-setters over Bowling Green and Ball State.
"We've kind of tested ourselves against what I think is a really good Ball State team and a really good Bowling Green team and I think our team's really starting to drink the Kool-Aid, so to say," Gawlik said. "We can really do special things if we're willing to put it out there and see what happens."
Led by Thomas, the Chippewas hit at .298 against the Broncos.
They broke from a 16-16 tie in the first set, building a 22-18 lead. Thomas recorded a kill to make it 24-22 and then Lauren Schrock notched set point with a kill.
The Chippewas built a 13-7 lead in the second set and Western never got closer than four points the rest of the way. CMU hit at a blistering .424 in the second set after posting a .283 in the first.
"I didn't say anything magic," Gawlik said. "There's no pixie dust. If anything, I feel like in a match like tonight I'm going to take myself completely out of it. I wrote down the lineup and at some point you just stay out of your team's way. We were really cooking with gas."
In the third and final set, Thomas recorded a kill to break an 18-18 tie and give the Chippewas the lead for good. Schrock posted back-to-back kills down the stretch as CMU pulled away.
Schrock and Natalia Rejment finished with nine kills apiece. Hannah Langton led the Chippewas with 21 digs and setter Allie Korba had 40 assists.
Rejment finished with 12 points and 11 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
"Nat serves a big role for us," Gawlik said. "When we're off the net, we know she's going to do responsible things with the ball.
"Every team needs somebody like that and she's just been doing a really good job for us. She passes, she serves, she defends, she brings a lot to the table other than just attacking. She's just been a rock for us and helps us create first-ball opportunities and get the ball to other people as well."
Thomas, a freshman, finished with a .660 attack percentage. Her previous career high of 13 kills came on Oct. 4 against Ball State.
"My setter (Korba) was setting some amazing balls and really just gave me a lot of confidence throughout the night," Thomas said. "The team as a whole really came out ready to execute our jobs tonight.
"We talk about having a swag and tonight, especially, we really wanted to come out with a lot of confidence in ourselves and play for each other."
In the last four matches, four different players have led the Chippewas in kills.
"We have a lot of depth as a group," Thomas said. "Anyone on the bench can come out and have a killer night and it just keeps us all motivated and keeps the other team wondering where the ball's going to go."
Team Stats
WMU
CMU
Kills
40
51
Errors
18
12
Attempts
125
131
Hitting %
.176
.298
Points
44.0
61.0
Assists
36
49
Aces
0
3
Blocks
4
7
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
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