The Basics
Score: Ashland 3, Saginaw Valley 2
Records: AU (15-6, 8-2 GLIAC) | SVSU (16-5, 6-4 GLIAC)
Location: Cardinal Gym – University Center, Mich.
UNIVERSITY CENTER – The SVSU Volleyball team hosted Ashland University on Friday evening in a key league and regional matchup between two of the top teams in the GLIAC. The Eagles got out to a quick lead with a first set victory and then the teams would alternate sets after that, with Ashland pulling out a narrow 3-2 edge for the win.
The Eagles hit just .019 in the opening set competed to SVSU's .146 mark but were able to claim the set by a score of 26-24.
SVSU responded in the second frame by claiming a 25-18 victory, aided by five Tamara Heller kills and two aces from her to even the match at 1-1.
Ashland claimed the third set by that same 25-18 score, hitting .444 to make the score 2-1 in the match.
The Cardinals got five kills from McKenzie Schuster in the fourth frame and four more from Heller as the home team hit .300 and held the Eagles to a .000 percentage. That aided SVSU in tying things at 2-2.
Ashland would post a .345 hitting percentage in the fifth and final set and seal the victory with a 15-11 win.
Inside the Boxscore
- Heller led the way with a team-high 16 kills for the Cardinals, hitting .325 while recording a match-best 19 digs as well with a pair of service aces.
- Schuster hit .346 with 12 kills and added three blocks for SVSU.
- Morgan Eddy reached double-digits in kills as well, posting 10 in the contest while hitting .304.
- Kelly Vellucci had a match-high 42 assists, adding 10 digs and six blocks.
- Kaylee Schmitt had a match-best eight blocks.
- Brooke Tiller and Emily Nieman each recorded 17 digs defensively for SVSU. She leads the GLIAC with 431 total digs and 5.32 digs per set.
- Ali Cudworth led the Eagles with 18 kills, 16 digs and three aces.
Chili's "Player of the Match"
Schuster earned player of the match honors after posting a .346 hitting percentge with 12 kills and three blocks for the Cardinals.
Up Next for the SVSU...
Saginaw Valley hosts Lake Erie at the Cardinal Gym at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 24) afternoon. The Storm (5-14, 1-9 GLIAC) fell by a 3-0 count at Wayne State University on Friday evening.
