CMU: A block-free zone
Volleyball swarms Chicago State; now faces Michigan State
By: Aaron Vigneault
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: Sports
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But the Chippewas know it won't be that easy when they play a tougher match Saturday at Michigan State.
Central Michigan got back to its winning ways by beating Chicago State University 3-0 (30-16, 30-21, 30-13) at Rose Arena.
CMU travels at 6:30 p.m. to take on the Spartans in East Lansing. The Chippewas are considering this the biggest non-conference match of the season and are looking to make a statement.
"It's a Big Ten team and you know they're thinking were just a (Mid American Conference) school," said senior setter Courtney Kersten. "I'm excited to go in there and show them we deserve respect."
The Chippewas dominated the match against CSU and didn't allow the Cougars to record a single block.
"That might be the first time that's ever happened here," said coach Erik Olson.
The CMU offense posted an attack percentage of more than 65 percent in all three games, which are numbers tough to beat.
"If we hit 65 percent we're probably going to win," Olson said. "When we hit 70 percent, like we did in the last game, we are going to win."
Sarah Warner led the way with 13 kills and a .550 hitting percentage, while Whitney Evers and Kate Fissel recorded 11 and 10 kills.
Fissel is ranked fifth in the nation with 5.06 kills per game, easily the highest ranking a CMU player has ever held, Olson said.
Joining Fissel among the nationally ranked is Kersten, who is No. 15 in the nation with 13 assists per game.
Central Michigan continued its proficiency on the serve, recording 14 aces against the Cougars.
CMU is sixth in the nation as a team with nearly five aces per game.
Though the result was never in doubt, the match against CSU was the most exciting of the season for one volleyball player. Junior outside hitter Erika Neumann made her 2007 debut after recovering from knee surgery in the offseason.
"It felt really good to be back out there," Neumann said. "I worked really hard all summer long to get back."
Neumann saw limited action, but did record three digs and provides much-needed depth to the Chippewas' back line.
"She did a great job with her movement and didn't hurt us, which is what we were looking for," Olson said.
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