Women's Volleyball | November 09, 2017
THIS WEEK
The Western Michigan volleyball team closes out the 2017 regular season hosting Toledo on Friday at 7 p.m. and Ball State on Saturday at 7 p.m.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
The Broncos have two regular season games left to secure a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, which begins next week at Miami. A win in either match this weekend will put them in the tournament, which WMU has won five times in the program's history. There are scenarios that the Broncos could make the tournament if they lose both matches.
FINAL PERFORMANCE
This weekend is the final matches at University Arena for seniors
Sydney Cheatham,
Olivia Kofie and
Sydney LeMay. The trio will be celebrated after Saturday night's match against the Cardinals.
Cheatham, who has missed every game this season due to an injury suffered in training camp, appeared in 60 total matches as a defensive specialist, including a career-high 26 last season. She averaged 1.44 digs per set for her career, including 1.44 last season. She is also a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and holds a 3.47 GPA in psychology.
Kofie has appeared in 112 matches and has averaged at least 2.0 kills per set every year of her career. Over her four years she has averaged 2.24, with a career-best average of 2.60 last season. She sits just 55 kills from reaching the 1,000 milestone and is a career .219 hitter. The Elgin, Ill., native is also just seven blocks away from 300 for her career.
LeMay holds the distinction of being the only player in program history to be a three-time First Team All-MAC selection after earning it in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Middleville, Mich., native sits seventh in program history on the all-time kills list with 1,355 heading into the weekend. She is one of just 22 players in program history to reach the 1,000 kill mark. LeMay has also had academic success, earning Academic All-MAC honors twice.
All three contributed to Western Michigan winning the 2014 MAC Tournament and helping the program to its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS || 12-14, 7-7 MAC
The Rockets are tied with WMU and Central Michigan in the MAC West standings and are still fighting for their MAC Tournament chances. Last weekend UT earned a road split at Ball State and Buffalo. Toledo fell to the MAC West leading Cardinals 3-1 but rebounded for a 3-2 win at the Bulls. UT won the previous meeting with the Broncos, 3-1, in Toledo.
The Rockets average 11.99 kills per set and have four players that average at least 2.0 or higher, led by Saige Thomas and her 2.83. Rachel Vidourek averages 2.25, followed by Annie Beasley at 2.22 and Chloee Kleepsies at 2.10. Toledo uses two setters. Carly Townsend leads the team with 9.62 assist per set, while Brianna Foster averages 6.44.
Toledo is holding teams to a .183 hitting percentage on the season. Libero Maurissa Leonard averages 5.58 digs per set to lead the team, while Lauren Bakaitis averages 2.54. The Rockets have two players nearing 1.0 blocks per set in Beasley and Vidourek. Beasley leads the team with 0.92 and Vidourek sits just behind her at 0.91.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS || 17-10, 9-5 MAC
Ball State puts its three-game win streak on the line on Friday at Northern Illinois before coming to Kalamazoo. The MAC West leaders earned a 3-0 home win against Toledo last Friday and followed it with a 3-0 sweep at Akron. The Cardinals took the earlier meeting with the Broncos, 3-1 in Muncie.
Ellie Dunn leads the team's attack with 2.96 kills per set. BSU averages 13.12 and Brooklyn Goodsel sits just behind Dunn at 2.86. Emily Holland (2.13), Sydnee Vanbeek (2.18) and Jessica Lindsey (2.00) also average at least 2.0. Amber Seaman is the team's setter, averaging 10.86 assists per set this season.
The Cardinals hold opponents to a .187 hitting percentage with libero Kate Avila averaging 4.91 digs per set. Goodsel is second on the team with 2.79, while Seaman averages 2.46. Meg Starling leads the team in blocks, averaging 1.01 per set and racking up 73 total blocks on 19 solos and 54 assists.
