Eagle Volleyball Alone In First In Great Midwest After Home Sweep Of Oilers

Kevin Foeman couldn't have drawn it up any better.
 
Ashland University's head volleyball coach leads what now is the team alone in first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference overall standings, following a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-15) win over Findlay at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
 
"We worked really hard this week to prepare for these games," Foeman said. "They came out, they did exactly what we thought they could do, and took care of business."
 
The Eagles' 12^th consecutive win is their most since 2007, and improves AU to 15-5 overall and 10-0 in the Great Midwest. Ashland is the South Division leader and receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Coaches poll.
 
Findlay is 12-8, 9-1, after seeing its 10-match win streak snapped.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• A close first set saw Findlay leading 12-11 prior to Ashland putting up three points in a row to force an Oiler timeout. The Eagles went up 19-15 later in the first, but the rest of the set remained tight – and ended with AU leading the match, 1-0.
• In the second set, the Eagles raced out to a 6-2 advantage before a Findlay stoppage. Ashland's lead eventually was 13-4 prior to another UF timeout, and it was as big as 16-4 before the Eagles went up 2-0.

 
THE WRAP-UP

• Ashland finished the night hitting .398, its second-highest single-match hitting percentage of the season. Sophomore outside hitter Makenna Belcher finished with 13 kills and a .371 percentage, and fifth-year hitter Erin Krupar ended with 11 kills and a .500 percentage.
• "They (Belcher and Krupar) prepared. They were watching film literally Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – all week," said Foeman.
• Fifth-year setter Zoey Peck collected 36 assists in the victory.
• "Going into this week, we were really prepared," Krupar said. "We passed a really good game today. All props to Zoey. She runs a great offense."
• Junior libero Katie Thompson, who was honored in pregame for her 1,000^th career dig earlier in the season, had a team-high 14 on Friday night. Krupar added 10 digs for a double-double.
• "She's one of the kind of kids you have to tell to slow down, because she will go 100 miles an hour," Foeman said of Thompson. "She puts in the work, and she's ready."

 
UP NEXT
There's one more key Great Midwest home match prior to the Midwest Region Crossover – fellow No. RV Hillsdale (16-3, 9-1) on Saturday (Oct. 8) at 2 p.m.
 
"We are full steam ahead going into tomorrow," Krupar said. "We're going to celebrate tonight, and then as we come back tomorrow morning, we're all Hillsdale."