Chippewas host Toledo on Thursday
The CMU women’s volleyball team looks to make it six wins in seven matches when it takes on Toledo at 7 p.m. Thursday at Finch Fieldhouse.
Both teams come into the match playing the best volleyball had all season.
The Chippewas (12-12, 6-6 Mid-American Conference) are coming off one of their best performances of the year in which they swept Kent State in convincing fashion Saturday night in Kent, Ohio.
Toledo (10-11, 5-7 MAC) has won five of seven matches after losing its first six in conference play, including a pair of impressive victories this past weekend against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.
“This is a big game for us,” said head coach Erik Olson. “Toledo has been playing much better volleyball as of late, and we expect a very competitive match.”
When the teams first met on Oct. 2nd, both UT and CMU were both winless early in MAC play, and it was the Chippewas who got their first victory on the year, sweeping the struggling Rockets by scores of 25-19, 25-22 and 27-25.
The loss to CMU marked the turning point of the season for Toledo, who has played much better since getting swept.
UT is led by freshman outside hitter Lauren Rafdal, who has 207 kills on the season. She is one of six UT players with more than 120 kills on the season.
“Last time, we played them they shuffled in lots of different personnel,” Olson said. “So it’s a constant adjustment for us.”
The Chippewas will look to build on the victory earlier in the season and will look to continue their hot streak. They come into the match second in the conference in hitting percentage. Kaitlyn Schultz ranks third at .347.
“Both teams have gotten a lot better since the last meeting” said sophomore outside hitter Val DeWeerd, “I expect it to be very competitive.”
The match is the first of two this weekend as the Chippewas will play MAC West leader Ball State at 7 p.m. Saturday at Finch Fieldhouse.
