Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, August 31
Normal, Ill.
4:30 PM ET
Central Michigan University
3-0,0-0MAC
3
vs
0
Bellarmine
0-3,0-0ASUN
1
2
3
F
Bellarmine
10
12
15
0
Central Mich.
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
First Weekend of the Season Results in Tournament Champions for Volleyball
8/31/2024 6:41:00 PM | Volleyball
The Chippewa Volleyball team completed the weekend sweep at the Linda Herman Classic after defeating Bellarmine 3-0
NORMAL, Ill. — The Chippewa Volleyball team swept the Bellarmine Knights in their final game of the Linda Herman Classsic, hosted by Illinois State. CMU leaves Illinois with three wins, opening their season with the best record since 2019 when the team started 5-0. The Chippewas won their sets 25-10, 25-12 and 25-15.
The first set of the day started with a tight back and forth sideout match. That is, until CMU ran away with a 7-1 run between 7-6 and 13-8. The match then ended with another 6-0 run for the Chippewas as the decisive 25-10 victory started the afternoon for the Maroon & Gold.
In set one, the team hit .364 and Natalia Rejment, Maddy Gebhardt and Krystina Kasson each recorded two kills. The six blocks also for CMU in the match were beneficial in their scoring runs. Grace Thomas charted four block assists in the set while Gebhardt and Kasson each had a solo stuff.
Nobody missed a beat heading into set two as the set kicked off with a 5-0 run for the Chippewas, continuing their domination in the gym. Keelyn Muell called set when she closed the deal with back-to-back service aces, giving CMU another decisive victory, 25-25.
Bellarmine came out ready to fight in set three, with a 4-0 run. Central Michigan however, answered that with a 4-0 run of their own that was capped off with back-to-back kills from Kasson and Thomas. That set also closed with a 7-1 run that gave CMU the sweep of the day, and the sweep on the weekend.
"Any time you can start a season off with some wins, the team starts really believing that we are able to do some big things in the year. Granted it is just weekend…there are a lot of things we walk away from this opening weekend with knowing we did very well, but also able to recognize that there are areas where we need to get better." Said Head Coach Mike Gawlik. "This is a great start, but it is just the start for our team."
Natalia Rejment, who was named Linda Herman Classic Tournament MVP charted 38 kills on the weekend, hitting .352. Rejment missed the 2023 season from an attacking standpoint due to injury and has come back to her junior campaign ready to assert her dominance. "What Natalia does well is she adjusts well. Which has been our phrase for the weekend 'the great ones adjust', so as we all settle in, relieve pressure from our teammates, I think Natalia settled in well this weekend and was overall really responsible with the ball."
Three total members of the Chippewa squad earned All-Tournament nods for the Linda Herman Classic, Natalia Rejment (MVP), Maddy Gebhardt and Hannah Langton.
Gebahrdt killed 29 balls on the weekend, charted five total blocks and scored 37 points for the Chippewas. In her debut weekend, Langton showed up defensively as she dug 64 balls (5.33/set) with 19 assists
The Chippewas will next head to Albany, N.Y. where they will face UAlbany, Farleigh Dickinson and Iona.
The first set of the day started with a tight back and forth sideout match. That is, until CMU ran away with a 7-1 run between 7-6 and 13-8. The match then ended with another 6-0 run for the Chippewas as the decisive 25-10 victory started the afternoon for the Maroon & Gold.
In set one, the team hit .364 and Natalia Rejment, Maddy Gebhardt and Krystina Kasson each recorded two kills. The six blocks also for CMU in the match were beneficial in their scoring runs. Grace Thomas charted four block assists in the set while Gebhardt and Kasson each had a solo stuff.
Nobody missed a beat heading into set two as the set kicked off with a 5-0 run for the Chippewas, continuing their domination in the gym. Keelyn Muell called set when she closed the deal with back-to-back service aces, giving CMU another decisive victory, 25-25.
Bellarmine came out ready to fight in set three, with a 4-0 run. Central Michigan however, answered that with a 4-0 run of their own that was capped off with back-to-back kills from Kasson and Thomas. That set also closed with a 7-1 run that gave CMU the sweep of the day, and the sweep on the weekend.
"Any time you can start a season off with some wins, the team starts really believing that we are able to do some big things in the year. Granted it is just weekend…there are a lot of things we walk away from this opening weekend with knowing we did very well, but also able to recognize that there are areas where we need to get better." Said Head Coach Mike Gawlik. "This is a great start, but it is just the start for our team."
Natalia Rejment, who was named Linda Herman Classic Tournament MVP charted 38 kills on the weekend, hitting .352. Rejment missed the 2023 season from an attacking standpoint due to injury and has come back to her junior campaign ready to assert her dominance. "What Natalia does well is she adjusts well. Which has been our phrase for the weekend 'the great ones adjust', so as we all settle in, relieve pressure from our teammates, I think Natalia settled in well this weekend and was overall really responsible with the ball."
Three total members of the Chippewa squad earned All-Tournament nods for the Linda Herman Classic, Natalia Rejment (MVP), Maddy Gebhardt and Hannah Langton.
Gebahrdt killed 29 balls on the weekend, charted five total blocks and scored 37 points for the Chippewas. In her debut weekend, Langton showed up defensively as she dug 64 balls (5.33/set) with 19 assists
The Chippewas will next head to Albany, N.Y. where they will face UAlbany, Farleigh Dickinson and Iona.
Team Stats
BU
CMU
Kills
20
36
Errors
24
8
Attempts
98
91
Hitting %
-.041
.308
Points
23.0
53.0
Assists
20
36
Aces
0
9
Blocks
3
8
Game Leaders
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
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