The Dawgs took down Saginaw Valley State in their first conference match of the season last Friday. The Bulldogs left the gym victorious by a score of 3-0 handing the Cardinals of SVSU their first loss of the season.
Senior Caroline Heitzman had a team high of 15 kills for Ferris State with a kill percentage of .387. Seniors Alexis Huntey and Megan Vander Meer added six kills apiece for FSU. Junior Stephanie Sikorski contributed 30 assists and freshman Katie Placek led Ferris with 12 digs.
Ferris came into the match ranked No. 4 in the nation but weren’t focusing on that.
“Rankings are rankings and at the end of the season it doesn’t matter your ranking as long as you’re in the national tournament. At the end of the day, rankings don’t come across our minds,” said Heitzman.
The rankings didn’t get to her head in the Bulldogs’ sweep against Wayne State on Saturday as she led the team in kills once again, this time with 10. She was helped by Megan Vander Meer who tallied eight kills and 12 digs in the match.
“We have a mindset that we’re just trying to work as hard as we can. We’re just working to serve each other. We have a mentality that if I can do my best and help out my teammates then I know they’ll play their best for me,” said Heitzman.
This mindset and hard work has paid off big time for the Bulldogs this year who have dropped only five sets in 10 matches.
The team has a big weekend coming up that will begin with a conference matchup against Walsh College in Canton, Ohio on Friday at 1 p.m. Ferris State beat Walsh 3-0 in their matchup in 2014. Saturday brings two important matches for the Bulldogs. At 1 p.m. the Bulldogs will take on conference foe Malone University in Canton followed by a 3:30 p.m. game against nationally ranked No. 10 Wheeling Jesuit of W. Va.
In preparation for this weekend, Heitzman said the team will be focusing on the small details and will try to improve their passing and serving. Heitzman, a fifth year senior is excited to see her team playing so well.
She said, “Compared to when I first started out here everything has come full circle. I’m so happy to be a part of this program and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”