Volleyball Claims Senior Day Success Over Northwood, 3-2

Volleyball Claims Senior Day Success Over Northwood, 3-2

UNIVERSITY CENTER — The SVSU Cardinal Volleyball team rounded out their homestand for the 2018 regular season play with a contest against cross town rivals Northwood University Saturday (Oct. 27) evening. 

The Cardinals went on to defeat the Timberwolves, 3-2 in their senior day, heading to a securing at least a top five slot in the GLIAC tournament. SVSU is now 17-9 in overall, 10-5 in conference play. 

The Match: 

The Timberwolves used their timeouts early in set one, trailing the Cards first 6-4 and later 16-12. Although, with a couple unfourtunate attacking errors for Saginaw Valley, Northwood was able to pull back in and knot up the contest, 22-22.  

NU ended up pulling ahead to take set one 26-24, giving them a 1-0 lead heading into the second set of the night. 

Cardinals had a slow start in the set two, trailing 11-6 at the first timeout. Although, the Cardinal made a comeback in the middle of the set with the help of kills from Emily Friesl, Maria Vukaj and S. Tabit to trail only by two at the NU timeout. The two teams battled, but SVSU was able to out score the Timberwolves 5-3 to tie up 18 all.

Four key kills from the NU offensive gave the Timberwolves the push they needed to pull away for the set two victory, 25-22. 

NU headed into the lockerroom break leading 2-0 over SVSU. 

Peyton Gerstacker was a key component in the set three victory, as she served seven times in a row to get the lead 13-2. The Timberwolves were unable to ever regain the lead, leaving the Cardinals with a 25-17 victory, hitting .400 as a team. 

Set four had the start of the first two sets, with SVSU errors leaving 

Kristen Huebner entered the game after the timeout, giving SVSU the two huge kills they needed to get themselves back into the ball game. Gerstacker found herself at the end line for quite some time again, ending her time serving knotting the score up 13-13. NU would end up taking the lead 19-16 after a few big kills from their outside attackers.

The Cardinals were not ready to send their seniors home with a loss, as the team battled and outscored the Timberwolves 6-1 tying the contest 20 all. Tremendously long rallies went on to fall in Saginaw Valley's favor, as the Cards take the win 26-24 heading into back-to-back GLIAC five-set matches on the weekend. 

Saginaw came out quickly against NU in the fifth set, leading 8-3 at the switch. The Timerbwolves fought valiantly, coming with two, 12-10. Vukaj and Friesl earned a huge kills to end SVSU on a high note, taking the win 15-11.  

Inside the Box Score:

  • Friesl earned Player of the Match honors after taking the victory with 20 kills, hitting a .447 on the night. She added five digs, three total blocks and one service ace, as well. 
  • S. Tabit posted 20 kills as well on the night while adding four digs as well. 
  • Vukaj marked another double-double, earning 10 kills with 15 digs. 
  • Abbie Toland added her career-high of 32 digs. 
  • H. Tabit produced 45 assists and five digs. 
  • Senior Tamara Heller recorded two kills with 15 digs for her last regular season match at home. 
  • Lindsey Jacobs started the match for the Cards, producing 16 assists. 
  • Rachel Eisenhour added four kills hitting .500. 

Up Next... 

The Cardinals will conclude their 2018 regular season campaign with a trip back up to the U.P. for one contest on Saturday (Nov. 3) against Lake Superior State. SVSU previously beat the Lakers in a heated five set matchup earlier this year at home. 

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