Hillsdale College volleyball team completes perfect conference regular season with sweep of Michigan Tech
Hillsdale to host Ashland Thursday night in first round
Box score
November 7, 2010 - It wasn't easy - it rarely is - but the Hillsdale College volleyball team completed a perfect conference season Sunday afternoon.
Taking on a Michigan Tech team that was playing its final match
of the 2010 season, the Chargers experimented with different lineups, and struggled at times, but came up with a 3-0 victory over the Huskies at Jesse Philips Arena. Hillsdale is the No. 1 seed in next week's GLIAC Tournament, and will host Ashland University in the first round contest at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Chargers have won 24 matches in a row, and are 25-1 on the season. The team's final GLIAC record of 19-0 in the conference is tied for the best conference record in the history of the GLIAC. The 1998 Northern Michigan University Wildcats also went 19-0 in GLIAC matches.
The last team to go undefeated in the GLIAC was the 2006 Hillsdale College team, who went 17-0 that season in conference matches.
Despite those historical accomplishments, the Chargers played three tight sets against the Huskies, winning 26-24, 35-33 and 25-19. The second set was the highest scoring set Hillsdale has played in since November 2004.
Playing her second straight dominant match was junior middle hitter Clara Leutheuser, who stepped up and made a huge impact in the match for the Chargers. Leutheuser didn't have an attacking error, and finished the match with 12 kills, two solo blocks and seven block assists in a marvelous performance.
In the second set, Michigan Tech jumped out to a 12-4 lead and looked to be in position to extend the match to at least a fourth set. Despite the Huskies' 5-21 overall record, they've rarely been swept this season and have been a difficult team for any opponent throughout the season.
However, Hillsdale rallied in the second set, quickly evening up the set when it got to be tied up at 13-13. Michigan Tech had leads of 20-17 and 23-22, but the Chargers came back again, forcing volleyball's version of "overtime," one that never seemed to end.
Michigan Tech had set point five different times in the second set, compared to four for the Chargers. Sophomores Lauren Grover and Kaleigh Shuster teamed up on a set-ending block for Hillsdale.
After trailing 6-4 in the third set, Hillsdale eased into control of the match, building an 18-13 lead before cruising to the win.
Junior Ashlee Crowder led the Chargers with 15 kills. Senior Amanda Bigney (pictured) added 10 kills, six digs and four block assists. Senior Sydney Dow led the Chargers with 15 digs, and setter Apryl Schmucker picked up 31 assists, three kills and six digs.
November 7, 2010 - It wasn't easy - it rarely is - but the Hillsdale College volleyball team completed a perfect conference season Sunday afternoon.
Taking on a Michigan Tech team that was playing its final match
of the 2010 season, the Chargers experimented with different lineups, and struggled at times, but came up with a 3-0 victory over the Huskies at Jesse Philips Arena. Hillsdale is the No. 1 seed in next week's GLIAC Tournament, and will host Ashland University in the first round contest at 7 p.m. Thursday.The Chargers have won 24 matches in a row, and are 25-1 on the season. The team's final GLIAC record of 19-0 in the conference is tied for the best conference record in the history of the GLIAC. The 1998 Northern Michigan University Wildcats also went 19-0 in GLIAC matches.
The last team to go undefeated in the GLIAC was the 2006 Hillsdale College team, who went 17-0 that season in conference matches.
Despite those historical accomplishments, the Chargers played three tight sets against the Huskies, winning 26-24, 35-33 and 25-19. The second set was the highest scoring set Hillsdale has played in since November 2004.
Playing her second straight dominant match was junior middle hitter Clara Leutheuser, who stepped up and made a huge impact in the match for the Chargers. Leutheuser didn't have an attacking error, and finished the match with 12 kills, two solo blocks and seven block assists in a marvelous performance.
In the second set, Michigan Tech jumped out to a 12-4 lead and looked to be in position to extend the match to at least a fourth set. Despite the Huskies' 5-21 overall record, they've rarely been swept this season and have been a difficult team for any opponent throughout the season.
However, Hillsdale rallied in the second set, quickly evening up the set when it got to be tied up at 13-13. Michigan Tech had leads of 20-17 and 23-22, but the Chargers came back again, forcing volleyball's version of "overtime," one that never seemed to end.
Michigan Tech had set point five different times in the second set, compared to four for the Chargers. Sophomores Lauren Grover and Kaleigh Shuster teamed up on a set-ending block for Hillsdale.
After trailing 6-4 in the third set, Hillsdale eased into control of the match, building an 18-13 lead before cruising to the win.
Junior Ashlee Crowder led the Chargers with 15 kills. Senior Amanda Bigney (pictured) added 10 kills, six digs and four block assists. Senior Sydney Dow led the Chargers with 15 digs, and setter Apryl Schmucker picked up 31 assists, three kills and six digs.
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MI
49242
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