Volleyball Drops Five-Setter to Ball State

Friday, October 4

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

6:00 PM

Central Michigan University

12-4,3-1MAC

Ball State

8-6,1-2MAC

Ball St.

Central Mich.

Photo by: Josie Ransley '25,M'27 - @josieransmedia

10/4/2024 10:20:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Chippewas lose first MAC match; Chippewas and Cardinals close weekend with Saturday match (4 p.m.)

By: Alayna Jones

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Central Michigan volleyball team fell in five sets to Ball State on Friday at McGuirk Arena.

The loss was CMU's first in Mid-American Conference play. The Chippewas (12-4, 4-1 MAC) and Cardinals (8-6, 1-2) play on Saturday (4 p.m.) at McGuirk.

"Our goal is to win matches," CMU coach Mike Gawlik said. "We were in a match where we felt like we could've capitalized on it. We're not going to beat ourselves up over it but instead we're going to learn from it.

"Every night that you get a chance to play, you have to make it a dogfight and be in it, so we don't want to take any matches for granted."

The Cardinals took the first set, 25-23; the third, 25-22; and the decisive fifth, 16-14. CMU won set two, 25-17, and the fourth, 25-18.

Natalia Rejment finished with 15 kills to lead the Chippewas, while Abby Olin and Grace Thomas added 13 each. The 13 kills was a career high for Thomas, a freshman.

CMU setter Allie Korba had 56 assists; Thomas finished with seven blocks and Krystina Kasson added six. Hannah Langton led the Chippewas on the back line with 30 digs, and Rejment and Korba had three aces apiece.

CMU posted a .190 attack percentage, its lowest this season against a MAC opponent. The Cardinals finished at .201.