University of Toledo
Central Michigan
Homecourt Success Continues for Rockets in Come-from-Behind 3-2 Win Over CMU
11/7/2009 3:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
TOLEDO, OH - Toledo continued its homecourt success this season with a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11) triumph over Central Michigan (14-9, 7-6 MAC) on Friday evening in Savage Arena. The victory improved the Rockets' home ledger to 8-2 overall and snapped a six-match losing streak to the Chippewas in the process.
The triumph gives UT a 15-10 overall mark and guarantees the Midnight Blue and Gold their first winning season since the 2005 campaign heading into tomorrow night's Senior Night contest vs. Eastern Michigan.
"This was a tough match and it was good to see us rally after Central came out strong to start the match," said Toledo Head Coach Greg Smith after his club improved to 6-2 in five-set matches this season. "They force you into a lot of mistakes but we settled down once we realized we could play with them. We knew CMU was going to fight hard to win the match, but we just had to weather the storm. We gained some momentum late and that played a big part in our win."
That momentum was evident in the match-deciding fifth set as UT jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Keying the Rockets' quick start was three blocks as CMU's offense was shut down. The Chippewas finished the set with a -.158 ATK%, but they were still able to nearly tie the match. Toledo's lead was down to 12-11, but kills from senior MB Sarah Wilson and sophomore OH Cassie Kleespies ended a four-point CMU run and allowed UT to secure the win.
Sophomore OH Amber DeWeerdt paced a balanced offensive attack for the Rockets with 15 kills. Kleespies also was in double figures with 14 terminations and was joined by senior OH Stephanie Kersting and senior MB Liz Sundburg with 12 and 11 kills, respectively.
Sundburg and Kleespies keyed UT's defensive effort at the net with six blocks apiece, while junior libero Katie Westerfeld tallied a team-high 20 digs. Sophomore S Kassie Kadera (55 assists, 19 digs) and DeWeerdt (15 kills, 17 digs) also garnered double-doubles for the Rockets.
Junior OH Lauren Krupsky led CMU's offense with a match-best 19 kills, with sophomore MB Kaitlyn Schultz adding a 13 kills and a .522 ATK%.
The Rockets took an early three-point lead in the first set at 8-5 but saw the Chippewas take control with a five-point run. Toledo couldn't put much of a dent into the visitor's cushion though as CMU maintained at least a two-point lead the rest of the way. Central Michigan registered an impressive .417 ATK% in the set and limited UT to a .098 hitting mark. Schultz led CMU with six kills and a .750 ATK%, while four Rockets notched two kills apiece.
The second set appeared to be going in the Chippewas' favor as well until senior MB Lyndsey Holt served an eight-point run to help UT take a 24-21 lead. Three kills from DeWeerdt and two from Kleespies keyed the spurt and Kleespies ended the set with her seventh kill of the set. UT tallied a .348 ATK% in the set with CMU posting a .293 mark.
The Rockets carried over their late run in the second set and took a 9-4 advantage in Set 3 following three straight Kersting kills. UT maintained its lead until a Kersting attack error put the Chippewas in front, 17-16. A Kersting block and kill along with a kill from Kleespies forced CMU to call timeout with Toledo up, 19-17. The visitors rallied to tie the score at 20-20 on a Rocket service error and continued their run to take a 23-21 advantage. UT bounced back to even the score at 23-23 on a DeWeerdt kill and a Kleespies ace, but CMU took the set on kills from Schultz and freshman OH Lindsey Dulude. Kersting led both teams with six kills in the set, while Krupsky paced Central Michigan with five.
Toledo fell behind 4-1 early in the fourth set before evening the score at four points apiece. UT couldn't take its first lead of the set though until a block from Sundburg and Kleespies gave the Rockets a 14-13 advantage. UT then took a 17-14 advantage on kills from DeWeerdt and Kadera as well as a Kleespies' ace. The Rockets' lead didn't fall below two points the rest of the set. Senior MB Sarah Wilson and DeWeerdt led the way with five kills and helped UT post a .302 team ATK%.
