Volleyball team splits weekend matches
The Bulldog volleyball team spilt two home meetings this weekend.
Ferris began the weekend with a matchup against Saginaw Valley State on Friday, losing in straight sets.
The Bulldogs fell behind by 10 points in the first set, but managed to pull within five points late in the match, only to fall 25-19.
The second set proved to be more competitive for Ferris. The Bulldogs led late in the set 26-25, but could not hold on as Saginaw Valley responded with three straight points to close out the set, 28-26.
Saginaw Valley continued its momentum from the end of the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead to start the third. Ferris was unable to overcome the fast start and struggled through the rest of the set, ultimately losing 25-16.
Junior Arielle Goodson led the way with 10 kills and added four blocks. Redshirt freshman Samantha Fordyce carried the Bulldogs in assists, notching 30 of the team’s 31 assists. Senior Kristy Gilchrist tallied the most digs for the team with 11, while sophomore Lisa Tobiczyk and sophomore Ashley Huntey each had 10 digs.
The Bulldogs reclaimed home-court advantage on Saturday and completed a sweep of their own, winning in three straight sets against Lake Superior State.
Ferris raced to an 8-1 lead early in the first set and posted a 12-5 run during the middle of the set. Lake Superior State never recovered as Ferris went on to convincingly win the set, 25-10.
The second set was closer, as Lake Superior State managed to force a 10-10 tie early in the match. Ferris responded with four straight points and never trailed after that, despite a late rally by Lake Superior State that pulled them within two points. The Bulldogs shut the door on the comeback with three kills and an ace, winning the match 25-20.
Ferris jumped out to 13-5 advantage early in the set. Lake Superior State managed to rally to within five points following the run, but could never overcome the quick start by Ferris. The Bulldogs took advantage of multiple errors by Lake Superior State and completed the sweep with a 25-16 victory in the final set.
Freshman Anne Sutton led the team with a match-high 13 kills. Redshirt freshman Samantha Fordyce had a match-high 27 assists for Ferris, scoring 27 of the team’s 34 assists. Sophomores Lisa Tobiczyk and Ashley Huntey led the team in digs, with 12 and five respectively.
After this weekend’s home stand, the Bulldogs improved their record to 12-5 overall and boosted their conference record to 5-2. The Bulldogs are currently in first place in the GLIAC North Division.
Ferris will be back in action next weekend with two matches on the road. The Bulldogs will face Findlay on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. and will play Hillsdale on Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. Hillsdale currently leads the South Division with a 6-1 conference record.