Northern teams hand Chargers first loss in the GLIAC
Casey Cheney
Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: Sports
This weekend, the Chargers volleyball team made the long trek up north to face Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University, two of the top serving teams in the conference. After defeating 6-9 Michigan Tech in four games on Friday, the 13-2 Chargers lost their Saturday match against the 8-7 Northern Michigan squad, their first conference loss of the season.
"We started the week off pretty good," Head Coach Chris Gravel said. In this game, sophomores Ashlee Crowder and Clara Leutheuser picked up 20 and 13 kills respectively.
Freshman Kaleigh Shuster awarded the victory to the team's synergy, or the togetherness of the team play. The players out on the court, she said, did their part and played well together.
On Saturday, sophomore Brogan Wells got back into the game after suffering a knee injury during their match against Findlay, though she watched from the sidelines during Friday's game.
It did make it easier that we were taking care of business on Friday," she said, referring to the fact that she was unable to assist her teammates in that game.
Then came Saturday's match against Northern Michigan, currently the conference's best serving team.
"We had opportunities but just didn't put it together at the right time," Gravel said, adding that two of the three games they lost were by a mere two points.
"We were in a position to win, but we weren't able to close it out," he said.
Both opponents, Gravel said, were quality opponents and did especially well against the Charger's serve received (what does this mean?). In addition to that, he said the Chargers struggled to control the ball throughout Saturday's match.
"We didn't really play the game we could've played," Shuster said of Saturday's loss.
While Hillsdale remains number one within the GLIAC, they are no longer undefeated in their conference.
"It was a bit of a reality check," Gravel said.
When a team continues winning one game after another, he said they can sometimes think they are better than they maybe are. In a conference as tight as theirs, this is not something the Chargers can afford when "every detail counts."
Two more conference matches loom ahead as the team faces Grand Valley State University at 7 p.m. on Friday and Ferris State University at 2 p.m., both home games.
"We know both teams pretty well," Gravel said. "We need to be able to take it, but we need to be able to dish it out."
In order to come out of this weekend victorious, Gravel said the Chargers will need to take care of everything on their side first.
"We're going to get rid of those lapses," Shuster said. "We definitely have to work on our serve receive."
Gravel said Wells will also be an option for them this weekend.
For Gravel, he is eager to start the weekend matches and said he will be miserable until they play.
"Whenever we lose," he said. "I'm eager to start the next match."
"We started the week off pretty good," Head Coach Chris Gravel said. In this game, sophomores Ashlee Crowder and Clara Leutheuser picked up 20 and 13 kills respectively.
Freshman Kaleigh Shuster awarded the victory to the team's synergy, or the togetherness of the team play. The players out on the court, she said, did their part and played well together.
On Saturday, sophomore Brogan Wells got back into the game after suffering a knee injury during their match against Findlay, though she watched from the sidelines during Friday's game.
It did make it easier that we were taking care of business on Friday," she said, referring to the fact that she was unable to assist her teammates in that game.
Then came Saturday's match against Northern Michigan, currently the conference's best serving team.
"We had opportunities but just didn't put it together at the right time," Gravel said, adding that two of the three games they lost were by a mere two points.
"We were in a position to win, but we weren't able to close it out," he said.
Both opponents, Gravel said, were quality opponents and did especially well against the Charger's serve received (what does this mean?). In addition to that, he said the Chargers struggled to control the ball throughout Saturday's match.
"We didn't really play the game we could've played," Shuster said of Saturday's loss.
While Hillsdale remains number one within the GLIAC, they are no longer undefeated in their conference.
"It was a bit of a reality check," Gravel said.
When a team continues winning one game after another, he said they can sometimes think they are better than they maybe are. In a conference as tight as theirs, this is not something the Chargers can afford when "every detail counts."
Two more conference matches loom ahead as the team faces Grand Valley State University at 7 p.m. on Friday and Ferris State University at 2 p.m., both home games.
"We know both teams pretty well," Gravel said. "We need to be able to take it, but we need to be able to dish it out."
In order to come out of this weekend victorious, Gravel said the Chargers will need to take care of everything on their side first.
"We're going to get rid of those lapses," Shuster said. "We definitely have to work on our serve receive."
Gravel said Wells will also be an option for them this weekend.
For Gravel, he is eager to start the weekend matches and said he will be miserable until they play.
"Whenever we lose," he said. "I'm eager to start the next match."
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