November 15, 2009

Click here for 2009 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament Bracket Page

Hillsdale 3, Ashland 1 [Box Score]

Release courtesy of the Hillsdale College Sports Information Department

HILLSDALE, Mich. - Capping the greatest weekend in the history of Hillsdale College athletics, the Charger volleyball team won a classic five-set match oiver Saginaw Valley State news story image University to win the 2009 GLIAC Volleyball Tournament title.

2009 GLIAC Volleyball All-Tournament Team

Brittany Snider - Ashland

Annie Buxton - Saginaw Valley

Jessica Trieber - Saginaw Valley

Kait Harris - Saginaw Valley

Sydney Dow - Hillsdale

Apryl Schmucker - Hillsdale

Ashlee Crowder - Hillsdale, MVP

It is the first in the history of Hillsdale College volleyball.

The Chargers won the match 23-25, 25-18, 15-25, 25-20, 17-15. And this match was every bit as close as the final score indicated, with the final set going into volleyball's version of "overtime."

The Cardinals (21-9), champions of the GLIAC North Division, had match point and a 15-14 lead in a dramatic, well-played fifth set. Freshman Lauren Grover had a joust kill, inbetween two attack errors by SVSU to give the Chargers three points in a row, and the GLIAC title.

It was the first five-set match at home for the Chargers this season. This was the second time Hillsdale College has hosted the GLIAC Tournament, and its first championship.

The Chargers will move on to the Division II Midwest Regional Tournament, with location and opponents yet to be determined. The matches will be played Nov. 20-22.

Sophomore outside hitter Ashlee Crowder was named the tournament MVP, and played up to that lofty billing with an incredible performance. She led all players with 26 kills and hit .317 for the match. She also had 14 digs and two block assists, playing very much like the MVP she was named.

Both teams took turns at building big early leads in each of the first four sets. SVSU took leads of 5-0 in the first set and 4-0 in the third set, while the Chargers countered with a 5-0 run to open the second set. Each lead ended up holding up for that team, although Hillsdale closed the gap late in the first set and used that momentum in the second set.

The Cardinals led the first set 16-9 at one point. But Hillsdale put together an 11-3 run to take a 20-19 lead. The rest of the set was evenly played, with SVSU scoring three of the final four points to go up 1-0.

But it was clear Hillsdale had the momentum to end that first set, and its 5-0 run to start the second set confirmed that. Junior Sydney Dow, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, had two service aces in that opening 5-0 run for the Chargers.

The lead grew to as big as 10-3 in the first part of the second set. The Cardinals rallied to within three points, 13-10, but could never get over the hump in that set, and Hillsdale went on to a 25-18 win.

Switching back to the same side of the court as it was on in the first set, Saginaw Valley played its best volleyball of the match in set three, dominating Hillsdale with good passing and powerful hitting. SVSU led by as many as 11 points in the third set, and went on to win 25-15, one of the most decisive losses suffered by the Charger volleyball team in any set this season.

A 7-2 run early in the fourth set saw Hillsdale regain its offensive rhythm, something that was missing from set three. Crowder really took control during that fourth set, getting seven of her 26 kills in the fourth set, and four of them coming during that 7-2 run.

After SVSU pulled to within an 11-6 score, the Chargers went into high gear, scoring 10 of the next 13 points to build a 12-point lead. But like Hillsdale in the first set, Saginaw Valley State took back momentum and finished the set strong, despit ending on the losing side of a 25-20 score.

The only set of the match that started on an even basis was, appropriately, the fifth set. After the Cardinals held a 7-6 lead, Hillsdale went on a 5-1 run to pull in front, 11-8. SVSU then scored three straight points to tie it again, and neither team held more than a two-point lerad the rest of the way.

Dow and sophomore setter Apryl Schmucker were Hillsdale's representatives on the All-Tournament Team. Dow, a team captain, has been named to three Alll-Tournament teams this season, and finished this match with 20 digs, two assists and three service aces. Her steady passing and leadership, extremely valuable to the team all season, were on full display in this intense match in front of a massive home crowd.

Schmucker, who has developed into one of the most dangerous all-around players in the conference in recent weeks, had seven kills, six digs and 47 assists. She made great decisions all day on when to attack and when to set the ball to a teammate. She also hit .300 in the match.

Sophomore Clara Leutheuser, who was named First-Team All-GLIAC earlier in the weekend, had an excellent match at middle hitter, getting 10 kills, four total blocks and a .444 hitting percentage. Junior Amanda Bigney added 11 kills.

Sophomore Amanda Geelhoed had three kills, two digs and three total blocks, excelling when the ball came her way. Sophomore Morgan Podkul, one of the team's true emotional leaders, dug out a number of hard attacks by the Cardinals and had 11 digs.