UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team fell to Michigan Tech 3-1 in its home opener Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Gymnasium.
The Cardinals (7-3, 1-1 GLIAC) dropped the opening set 25-18 before responding with a 25-23 victory in the second. The Huskies closed out the match with 25-20 and 25-22 wins in the final two sets.
Michigan Tech created separation late in the opening frame after SVSU had trimmed the deficit to 18-17. The Huskies scored five straight to take a 23-17 lead and eventually secured the set, 25-18.
Saginaw Valley answered after falling behind 8-3 in the second. The Cardinals steadily worked their way back before Kendall White (DeWitt, Mich., St. John's HS) served during a four-point run that turned a 17-16 deficit into a 19-17 SVSU advantage. Marissa Roe (Chesterton, Ind., Chesterton HS) and Taylor Smith (Pewamo, Mich., Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools) combined for a pair of blocks during the stretch.
The teams traded points late before a Roe kill and a block from Roe and Jackie Scheiber (Wyandotte, Mich., Riverview Community HS) gave SVSU set point at 24-21. After Michigan Tech fought off two set points, Ruby Earl (Howell, Mich., Howell HS) finished the 25-23 victory with a kill to even the match.
The third set featured 10 ties as neither side could create much separation early. The teams were even at 12-12 before Michigan Tech used a six-point run to take an 18-13 advantage. SVSU responded with three straight points, including a Roe solo block, but the Huskies maintained the lead and took the set 25-20.
Michigan Tech opened the fourth with a 4-0 run and later led 10-4 before the Cardinals began their comeback. A Rachel Townsend (Oxford, Mich., Oxford HS) service ace completed a three-point run that tied the set at 13-13, and SVSU eventually pulled even again at 18-18 on a Smith kill.
The Huskies answered with three straight to regain a 21-18 advantage. Saginaw Valley pulled within two twice down the stretch, but Michigan Tech closed out the 25-22 set and the match.
Scheiber led SVSU with 12 kills and added 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. Townsend finished with 11 kills, eight digs and an ace, while Ava Decker (Elkhart, Ind., Elkhart HS) recorded seven kills on a .462 hitting percentage.
Smith totaled 31 assists, five kills and seven blocks. Roe added five kills and a match-high eight blocks, including one solo stop, while White led the Cardinal defense with 18 digs.
Saginaw Valley finished with 44 kills and a .173 hitting percentage while Michigan Tech recorded 57 kills and hit .236. The Cardinals held an 11-2 advantage in total blocks, but the Huskies finished with a 69-54 edge in digs.
Up Next: Cardinal volleyball heads back to the U.P. next week. SVSU takes on Lake Superior State on Friday, September 18 at 6 PM before battling Northern Michigan on Saturday at 4 PM.
