After losing to both Central Michigan University and Ohio University, the Eastern Michigan University women’s volleyball team continued their season with a win at the University of Toledo. The Eagles competed against the Rockets Oct. 5 in the hopes of stopping their two-game losing streak.
After losing the first two sets, the Eagles came back and won the final three sets for an overall win (31-33, 21-25, 30-28, 25-23, 15-9). This win boosted the Eagle’s record to 12-9 and 2-3 in the Mid-American Conference.
The first set was close, with neither team gaining more than a four point lead. Although the Eagles led in hitting percentage, the Rockets won the set going into extra points. Senior Rachel Iaquaniello scored the first point for EMU, just one out of her six kills for the opening set.
The Rockets received the first serve of the second set and scored four points before the Eagles scored one. Iaquaniello and junior Erin Short changed that quickly with a couple of kills followed by a block by sophomore Megan Crawshaw and junior Paige Roback. Although the score was close, the Rockets closed the set by blocking senior Kim Hildreth.
After losing the first two sets, the Eagles were still behind the Rockets. It wasn’t until later in the third set when they finally got a lead. Once EMU attained the lead they made sure they kept it. They went into extra points again, but this time they came out on the winning end.
Opening the fourth set, the Eagles developed a lead. With a combination of kills from Iaquaniello, Short and Crawshaw and aces from Hildreth, Crawshaw and Short, the Eagles were on a roll. That was until Toledo not only came back from a two point deficit, but also established a four point lead. It was a bit of a struggle, but the Eagles came back and won the fourth set, forcing a fifth set.
With only 15 points to score, both teams wanted the win and there was not much room for error. Once the teams tied the game at seven points, the Eagles took control of the game and never looked back. They only allowed the Rockets to score two more points while they took the final set, resulting in another winning game for the Eagles.
This game consisted of career highs for both Iaquaniello and Hildreth: Iaquaniello posted a match high of 25 kills and 13 digs, while Hildreth posted a match high of 61 assists and 16 digs.
Their teammates also had high number performances, with Roback getting a total of 16 kills and 11 digs and freshman libero Sierra Reed acquiring a total of 24 digs and two aces.
After playing the Rockets, the Eagles went on to beat Ball State University Oct. 6, making their record 13-9 (3-3 MAC).
Their next game is Oct. 12 against Bowling Green at the Convocation Center at 7 p.m.
