Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Toledo
Volleyball Records Sixth Consecutive Victory
10/23/2005 2:54:46 PM | Volleyball
Lindsay Piccolini records a career-high 10 block assists
Junior OH Kate Bean led the Rockets with a match-high 27 kills to go along with 16 digs. Senior MB Kelsey Culver (15 kills) and senior MB Corrie Magnus (12 kills) also were in double figures for Toledo with Magnus leading the way at the net with five blocks.
Junior libero Lora Sarich produced a stellar defensive effort with 33 digs, one shy of her career high. Four other Rockets registered double-digit dig totals with redshirt freshman Lori Ruth collecting a season-high 20 followed by Bean with 16 and Holsclaw and senior OH Chelsey Poquette with 15 apiece. Holsclaw also collected 61 assists to finish one away from her career best.
EMU was led by the tandem of senior OH Becky Baltare (21 kills, 25 digs) and junior MB Lindsay Piccolini (19 kills, 10 blocks), who each registered a double-double. Junior libero Ashley Cudney also recorded a match-high 35 digs for the Eagles
"There was a lot of great volleyball played out there tonight by both teams," Toledo Head Coach Kent Miller said. "Eastern Michigan is a very good team, and we played even with them throughout the entire match. We just need to correct a couple of little things and that can make a big difference in a match like this. Now we have to come back and play Central Michigan tomorrow afternoon with the same focus and intensity right from the start of the match."
Toledo opened the match strong by jumping out to a 14-10 advantage, however, the Eagles rallied with an 8-1 run to take an 18-15 lead. UT came back with a streak of its own by scoring four consecutive points to regain control. The Rockets then fell behind again before taking a 25-23 lead on kills from Magnus and senior Chelsey Poquette. The Eagles regrouped after a timeout and took a 27-26 lead following a setting error and two Rocket attack errors. After a UT timeout, the teams exchanged points until the Rockets tallied the final three points of the game on two Bean kills and one from Culver. Bean paced Toledo's attack with eight kills in the game with Lora Sarich leading the defensive charge with 16 digs.
The second game was another hard-fought affair with UT jumping out to a 5-3 lead before the Eagles scored four straight points. Neither team led by more than two points after that until EMU took a 20-17 lead. But the Rockets came right back to tie the score at 21-21. The Eagles took control of the game though with a three-point run for a 26-23 lead and UT couldn't come any closer. Baltare led the way for Eastern with nine of her 21 kills, while Bean paced the Rockets with five kills.
Game 3 was the most competitive of the match as there were 23 tie scores and eight lead changes and neither team could gain more than a two-point cushion. UT nearly came back with a late-game rally after falling behind 29-27. A Bean kill and a Holsclaw ace tied the score at 29-29. EMU then took one-point leads but Magnus and Bean each came up with kills to even the game. The Eagles gained the win though on kills by Piccolini and Melissa Bartlett.
The Rockets struggled out of the gate in Game 4 as EMU jumped out to a 16-5 lead. UT whittled away though and came within a point at 23-22 after two straight Culver kills. However, the Eagles had the answer with a 5-1 run for a 28-23 lead and put away any hopes of a miracle Rocket comeback.
Toledo will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 22 with a 3:00 p.m. matinee at Savage Hall vs. Central Michigan (3-16, 0-9 MAC). The Chippewas suffered a 3-0 (30-17, 30-24, 30-20) setback tonight at Ball State (11-8, 5-4 MAC).
