Box Score vs. Central Michigan  |  Box Score vs. Green Bay

MOUNT PLESANT, Mich. – Eastern Kentucky University's volleyball team beat undefeated Central Michigan University, 3-2, at the Chippewa Invitational on Friday.  The Colonels lost their second match of the day, 3-1, to Green Bay.
 
EKU beat Central Michigan by scores of 29-27, 21-25, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-11.
 
The Colonels took a 22-20 lead on a kill from Emma Closurdo in the first set, but the Chippewas came back.  A kill from Krystina Kasson tied it at 24-24.  Both teams had several set points before a block from Closurdo and Paige Wagers ended the opener in favor of the Colonels.
 
Central Michigan (6-1) jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the second set.  EKU closed to within three late, 23-20, on a CMU attack error but the Chippewas finished it off moments later on a kill from Maddy Gebhardt.
 
The third set was close throughout.  A block from Natalia Rejment and Abby Olin put CMU in front 22-21.  The Colonels scored the next two to swing the lead in their favor, 23-22.  Central Michigan tied it again before AG Vandagriff gave the visitors set-point, 24-23, with a kill.  A kill from Wagers finished off the set, 25-23, and gave EKU a 2-1 advantage in the match.
 
The home team started the fourth set by scoring 11 of the first 14 points, but the Colonels didn't fold.  EKU slowly whittled away at the deficit and tied it at 18-18 on an ace from Isa Blackwell.  A CMU error completed the comeback and put the Colonels ahead 20-19.  Tied 22-22, an EKU error and a kill from Kasson gave the Chippewas set-point.  Another Kasson kill ended the set at 25-23 and tied the match 2-2.
 
In the decisive fifth set, a kill from Vandagriff broke a 2-2 tie and the Colonels led the rest of the way.  Sarah Mitchell's kill made it 8-5.  Another Mitchell kill put her team out in front 11-6.  Blackwell finished off the match with a kill.
 
Mitchell had five kills and no errors in the fifth set, and finished with a team-best 16 kills.  She made only four errors in 45 attempts for a .267 attack percentage.  The senior also had 18 digs and three blocks.  Vandagriff had 14 kills and five blocks.  Wagers finished with eight kills and 10 total blocks.  Blackwell had three kills, three aces and four digs.
 
As a team, EKU out-blocked CMU 17-12 and served up four more aces (12-8).  The Chippewas had 12 more kills (67-55).  Kasson led all players with 18 kills and hit .421 for the match.
 
Green Bay won by scores of 25-19, 25-19, 24-26 and 25-22.
 
Mitchell led the Colonels (5-3) with 18 kills.  She hit .280 for the match and also had 20 digs.  Vandagriff contributed 16 kills on a .297 attack percentage. 
 
Cora Behnke led all players with 19 kills for Green Bay (2-6).  She hit .312.  The Phoenix posted a .311 attack percentage as a team while limiting EKU to .182.  Green Bay also had a 7-3 edge in blocks.
 
The Phoenix closed out the first set on an 8-3 run, turning a 1-point edge into a 6-point win.  The Colonels trailed by one in the second, 20-19, after a GB service error.  The Phoenix then scored the final five points of the set for a 2-0 lead. 
 
The Colonels broke a 22-22 tie in the third with a kill from Mitchell and a kill from Emilee Hill.  However, Green Bay came right back and scored two straight to tie it at 24-24.  Back-to-back kills from Hill allowed EKU to win the set and keep the match alive. 
 
Carson Ledford got the Colonels within one, 18-17, with a kill late in the fourth set, but Green Bay scored the next two points to open a 3-point cushion.  EKU got within two, 24-22, on a block from Wagers and Closurdo, but the Phoenix won the next point on a Behnke kill to close out the match.
 
EKU wraps up the Chippewa Invitational against Southeast Missouri on Saturday at 12 p.m.  The match will air live on ESPN+.