Ferris State Volleyball Swept By Saginaw Valley State
The home-court advantage proved to be no advantage for the Ferris State University women's volleyball team as the Bulldogs were swept in three-sets (25-19-28-26, 25-16) by Saginaw Valley State in a Friday (Sept. 25) night Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest at FSU's Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Mich.
The Bulldogs dropped to 11-5 overall and 4-2 in the GLIAC this season while Saginaw Valley State runs its overall record to 10-4 and is now 5-1 in conference action.
Junior middle hitter Arielle Goodson (Grand Rapids/Central) notched a match-high tying 10 kills for Ferris State, which posted an even (.000) hitting percentage for the contest. Goodson also recorded four block assists. Redshirt freshman setter Samantha Fordyce (DeWitt) led all players in assists with 30. On the defensive side, senior middle hitter Kristy Gilchrist's (Macomb/Anchor Bay) 11 digs marked a team high to go along with her eight kills for a .250 attack percentage. Sophomores Lisa Tobiczyk (Marysville) and Ashley Huntey (Stanwood/Morley-Stanwood) chipped in with 10 digs apiece.
For Saginaw Valley State, Annie Buxton's 10 kills equaled Goodson for match-high honors. She also garnered 10 digs and was joined in double-digit digs by Kait Harris, who dug up 10 ball attacks. SVSU turned in a .146 hitting percentage in the three-set outing.
The visiting Cardinals raced out to a 11-2 lead in the first set and held a comfortable lead throughout the remainder. Ferris State was able to slice the SVSU deficit to five points (24-19), but the Bulldogs' comeback fell short.
The second set was tight as the score was tied on 11 occasions and also featured six lead changes as the Bulldogs hit .128 in the set to the Cardinals' .150 clip. FSU would take a 26-25 lead on Arielle Goodson's kill, but the visitors came back with one of their own to tie it at 26-all. The outcome would go against Ferris State as the Bulldogs were hampered by two straight attack miscues.
Saginaw Valley State captured the third set by ripping off three straight points and would never trail. The Cardinals would win eight of the last 11 points to clinch the match en route to a .179 hitting percentage for the set. The Bulldogs were hampered by a -.150 attack percentage in the third set with only six kills in 40 chances.
Ferris State is back in action this Saturday (Sept. 26) as the Lake Superior State Lakers make an appearance at the Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids to take on the Bulldogs. A 2 p.m. (EDT) opening serve is slated for the conference matchup.