Volleyball gains momentum heading into MAC play
The Central Michigan volleyball team is riding high as the final stretch of the non-conference tournament schedule concluded this weekend.
The Chippewas won all three matches, taking home a victory in the Marshall Tournament.
“We didn’t want to put a whole lot of pressure on the team, because they knew there already was set-up pressure,” said head coach Erik Olson. “We went in with not a whole lot of ability to adjust.”
CMU didn’t have a lot to adjust to because it made it look pretty easy from start to finish all weekend.
Junior outside hitter Lindsey Dulude made her presence known, leading the Chippewas (7-4) past George Mason (4-8) with 24 kills, 17 digs and two aces.
“She was on fire, every time she touched the ball in anyway shape or form it turned to gold,” Olson said. “She was rock-solid.”
She wasn’t the only one contributing to CMU’s 3-1 win. Sophomore setter Kelly Maxwell recorded another 40-plus assist match, this time racking up 47. Freshman outside hitter Kaitlyn McIntyre had 11 kills and 14 digs.
The Chippewas won the first two games 25-22 and 25-21 before dropping the third game 25-22. But they regrouped and won game four 25-16 to secure the match.
It was much of the same in the early match Saturday against East Carolina (2-7). CMU won the match in four games.
Dulude and McIntyre lead the team in kills again with 13 for the junior and 15 for the freshman. Maxwell helped with 42 assists while junior outside hitter/middle blocker Katie Schuette added 10 kills. Sophomore libero Jenna Coates had 15 digs.
The Chippewas won games one and two 25-22 and 25-12, then dropped the third game 26-24. However, they came together to take game four 25-16.
CMU had its closest games against host Marshall (2-9), but they swept all three games; 25-21, 25-22 and 25-22.
This match was a full team effort with McIntyre leading the way in kills with 14, Maxwell with 27 assists and Coates’ 14 digs.
“Maxwell has been getting better every weekend and she has become consistent,” Olson said. “She is starting to become the reason why we’re successful … she really grew up this weekend.”
Maxwell received her first ever All-Tournament team award this weekend along with Dulude, who picked up her second in the last two weeks. Coates recorded her third-straight award.
“I couldn’t have done it without my team,” Maxwell said. “Our hitters were available all the time and we had great passing this weekend.”
The tournament win helps, but the team still has some injuries to take care of, and now Mid-American Conference play is here and coach Olson knows he’s facing a tough task.
“We’re prepared in a way that I don’t think I’ve had, with this much experience on the roster from top to bottom,” Olson said. “But at the same time, we’ve yet to put our starting lineup out there and that’s a little concerning.”
The team looks to ride the momentum of this current four-match winning streak and tournament championship past MAC West favorite, Northern Illinois and then rival Western Michigan.
