Chippewas lose another five-set match, second against EMU
Failure to follow the scouting report led to the downfall of the Central Michigan volleyball team Thursday night at Finch Fieldhouse.
The Chippewas were unable to follow their game plan against Eastern Michigan (21-6, 8-2 Mid-American Conference) in the fifth set and lost 3-2 (25-18, 20-25, 16-25 and 13-15).
CMU would go on to loss the fifth set by a score of 15-13, in a that set featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Head coach Erik Olson had little to say following Thursday night’s loss but said that he was disappointed with the outcome.
“I am very disappointed with the loss, and I don’t think that we should have lost,” Olson said.
CMU fell behind in the first set, but was able to go on several small runs forcing EMU to take two timeouts in the set. It would win the first set by a score of 25-18, but would go on to lose the second by a score of 20-25. CMU struggled in the second set as EMU won the set by six points.
The third and forth sets featured several small runs by both teams, none of which taking a commanding lead in the set.
Defense was tight on both sides with both teams hitting below .179 hitting percentage for the match. The Chippewas were able to keep EMU’s Rachel Iaquaniello to 13 kills, her lowest total of the season.
Freshman Jenna Coates contributed a tough defensive effort and finished the night with nine digs, including several shots that took her into the stands.
Coates said that the reason for the loss was due to communication problems and the inability to maintain momentum.
“We just got really quite and weren’t communicating,” Coates said.
Leading the Chippewas in kills was sophomore Val DeWeerd and junior Kaitlyn Schultz with 15 and 16, respectively. Despite three players in double figures in kills, Olson said that the offense failed to keep the ball away from EMU’s junior Libero Haley Stein. Stein leads a EMU defense that ranks sixth n the conference in defense.
Olson said that the game plan was to try and hit around Stein, something his team was unable to do.
“We wanted to run an offense that didn’t direct to many balls to their libero,” Olson said, “but that’s what we did, and that’s a losing equation.”
Coming into the match Eastern had been successful in five-set matches, with a 5-1 record.
Conversely, CMU has struggled mightily in the extra session, with a 0-5 record. Olson said that he felt their experience may have played a part in the final set.
“I think they just have a better history in game five’s,” Olson said. “ And I know my team just doesn’t want to go to game five.”
CMU looks to rebound from the loss on Saturday night when it travels to Kent State to take on the Golden Flashes, 10-15 overall and 3-7 in the MAC.
