MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The Oakland Golden Grizzlies (2-2, 0-0 HL) earned their second win of the season, defeating Central Michigan (0-4, 0-0 MAC), 3-1, on Wednesday evening at McGuirk Arena (29-27, 25-20, 20-25, 25-17). Oakland overcame a three-point deficit in the first set before taking the opener in extra points, then won two of the next three sets to close the match. The Black and Gold finished with 60 kills and hit .211, including a .419 mark with 15 kills with just two errors in the fourth set.
Outside hitter
Molly Reck neared her career-high, leading Oakland with 18 kills and 19.5 points, adding eight digs. Setter
Delaney Stern finished with 45 assists, nine digs, three kills and an ace as libero
Kalli Cook recorded 19 digs and six assists from the back row. Middle blocker
Grace Cooney added 10 kills on a .381 hitting percentage with three total blocks.
Oakland erased a 22-17 deficit and won the opening set in extra points, 29-27, with middle blocker
Lillian Frias finishing the frame on a kill from Stern. Earlier, Oakland fell behind 10-7 before outside hitter
Liv Hosford's serve helped produce four straight points, including kills by Reck and opposite hitter
Maddie Jipping, to put Oakland ahead 12-10. CMU later ran off six straight points to move in front 19-13, but Frias came off the bench with three kills as Oakland worked back into the set. Stern's serving stretch brought Oakland from 22-18 to 22-22 with an ace, a Jipping kill and a Hosford kill, and Oakland later moved ahead 24-23 on a CMU attack error. After the Chippewas held a 27-26 edge, Oakland took the final three points on two CMU attacking errors and Frias' closing kill.
The Golden Grizzlies won the second set 25-20, building a 20-13 lead and then answering CMU's late push to close it out. Earlier, Cooney opened the set with a kill from Stern, and Jipping added back-to-back kills to help Oakland move in front 3-1. After the Chippewas tied it at 4-4, Reck put down a kill, Hosford followed with another, and Reck served an ace as Oakland moved ahead 7-4. Oakland later stretched the margin with a Cooney block, a Stern kill and multiple Reck swings, then withstood a CMU run that cut the score to 20-17. Reck delivered three of Oakland's final five points on kills, including the set-ending finish from Stern.
Oakland erased an 8-1 deficit in the third set by winning seven of the next eight points, getting a Jipping-Cooney block, kills from Stern, Jipping, Frias and Reck, and two CMU errors to pull within 9-8. The Golden Grizzlies continued the push as Reck served through a stretch that moved Oakland in front 12-10, then Hosford added a kill, and Frias served an ace for a 14-11 lead. The Chippewas came back to tie the set at 17-17 and later moved ahead 19-18, but Oakland answered both times with Reck and Frias kills to stay level at 19 apiece. CMU then scored five straight points to reach set point, and after a service error gave Oakland one more point, the home side closed the set 25-20.
The Black and Gold created separation in the fourth set with defensive specialist
Kiley Gallagher at the service line, turning a 16-13 lead into a 20-13 advantage behind Gallagher's ace, a Stern setter's dump from Reck, a CMU attack error and a block by Reck and middle blocker
Ellen Zapp. Earlier, Oakland answered the opening point with a Cooney kill from Stern, a service ace and another Cooney kill to move in front 3-1. Cook then served Oakland through four straight points from 4-3 to 8-3, with opposite hitter
Ella Schomer and Reck alternating kills set by Stern. After the Chippewas cut Oakland's lead to 13-11, Cooney, Schomer, and Reck each added kills to keep Oakland ahead before the later service stretch widened the margin. Zapp served an ace to bring Oakland to 24-16, and Oakland finished the set 25-17 on a CMU attacking error.
The Oakland Volleyball team visits Valparaiso, Ind. for the Popcorn Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 5, to face the Beacons at 7 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend against Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 12 p.m. ET.
How to Follow Oakland Volleyball: For complete information on Oakland Volleyball, follow the team on X at @OaklandWVB and head coach Krista Rice at @KKg1007. The team is also on Instagram.
