HAMMOND, IND. — The
Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team dropped a straight-sets match (25-20, 25-19, 25-14) to Purdue Northwest on Friday night. The Cardinals (6-7, 1-3
GLIAC) struggled to find offensive momentum. Meanwhile, the Pride (5-4, 2-1
GLIAC) recorded 46 digs over three sets and limited SVSU to just two total team blocks in the match.
SVSU's efforts were highlighted by
Rachel Townsend (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS), who finished with eight kills.
Chloe Vanwinkle (Clio, Mich. / Mott CC) contributed a team-best .167 hitting percentage, and
Jackie Scheiber (Wyandotte, Mich. / Riverview Community HS) paced the attack with 10 assists. Additionally,
Kendall White (DeWitt, Mich. / Minnesota State University-Mankato), Vanwinkle, and Townsend led the team in digs with four.
Set One (20-25)
The match opened with Saginaw Valley State holding a slim 5-4 lead, but momentum quickly shifted as the Pride scored seven of nine points to take a 15-10 advantage. Although Townsend notched a match-best four kills in the first set, SVSU couldn't close the gap and trailed 1-0 after a 25-20 decision.
Set Two (19-25)
Building on the early lead, PNW never trailed in the second on its way to a 25-19 win and a 2-0 lead in the match. SVSU recorded only seven kills (.080) in the second frame, with
Ava Decker (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart HS) leading with two kills in the set.
Set Three (14-25)
In the decisive third set, a 4-0 run by the Pride immediately put SVSU behind, and the Cardinals couldn't close the gap in the match-deciding frame. Townsend recorded three of the team's four kills in the third, but attack errors plagued SVSU and concluded the match in three sets.
UP NEXT: SVSU will look to rebound on Friday, October 3, at home against Northern Michigan at 6:00 p.m. ET. This contest marks the start of a four-match homestand for the Cardinals. Following those matchups, the team returns to Hammond, Indiana, for the Midwest Regional Crossover in mid-October.
