Sept. 25, 2010
Sept. 25, 2010
By: Robert Ivory
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Amy Benz had 15 kills and Kara Koch had 12 kills as Cleveland State volleyball battled back from losing their first set to the Green Bay Phoenix. The Vikings won the next three sets to get back on the winning track.
"We just were tired from last night," head coach Chuck Voss said of the slow start. "You could see it early that we were out of it, but it took us to the end of the second set and then we got better as the game went on."
"We knew we were going to be tired from last night, we tried to gameplan for it. But, it's different when you are trying to execute it."
The Vikings improve themselves to 11-1 overall and 2-1 in Horizon League play. Green Bay falls to 4-11 and 1-2 in league play. Libero Amy Grabec had 28 digs, Amanada Medvetz had 14 digs, Annie Djukic had 24 assist and 10 digs, and Jordan Goad had 21 assists.
Match scores were 21-25, 26-24, 25-14, 25-15.
The first set was a battle that went back and forth, as the teams would be tied a dozen times. The Phoenix would tie the first set up at 19 and push a 21-19 lead. The Vikings traded points with Green Bay, as the Phoenix took the first set 25-21.
Amy Benz would be the key for the Vikings win in the second set. An attack error would give Cleveland State a 9-4 lead, their biggest lead of the second set. Green Bay would come back to tie the set up at 10, before pushing out to a 20-15 lead. Amanda Medvetz rallied the Vikings, serving seven straight points and Benz had four of her six kills in the comeback for the Vikings. On set point, Benz needed all of her 6-3 frame to push the ball over the net and secure the set for the Vikes.
"Amy came in and changed the tempo of the game," Voss said. "She is really tough for teams when she is in the front row. She really stepped up when we needed her to."
The Vikings controlled the third set, as they ran away with a 15-9 lead, courtesy of another Amy Benz kill. Megan Barhorst set the Vikings up nicely, as did Medvetz in the previous set, with sit straight points. Cleveland State would outscore Green Bay 10-5 on their way to the 2-1 match lead.
In the final set, Cleveland State looked to have things wrapped up early with a 11-7 lead. Green Bay battled all their way back, but could not get the critical points when they needed it most. Barhorst again rallied the Vikings with five straight points, as the Vikings finally put away the Phoenix 25-15.
What may have turned the tide for the Vikings was their four service errors in the first set alone, but committed just four the final three sets.
"I like the way we serve," Voss said. "We just had one too many in the first set."
The Vikings continue their home streak of Horizon League opponents with a meeting with the Youngstown State Penguins on Friday (Oct 1) at 7:00 p.m. at Woodling Gym.
