Volleyball Runs Win Streak To 10, Tops Walsh At Home

Ashland University's volleyball team ran its winning streak to 10 matches following a 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-21, 25-14) win over Walsh on Tuesday (Sept. 27) night at Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
 
The Eagles, receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division II coaches poll and leading the Great Midwest Athletic Conference South Division, move to 13-5 overall and 8-0 in the league. The Cavaliers are 6-7, 3-6.
 
"We had to find a way to finish it," said Ashland head coach Kevin Foeman. "We kind of let off the gas pedal a little bit, until that fourth set."
 
Ashland's 10-match win streak is the program's longest since taking 11 in a row in 2013.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• Trailing 13-10 in the first set, the Eagles crept back, and eventually knotted the set at 15. Then, after trailing 21-20, Ashland ran off the set's final five points to go up 1-0.
• Ashland led the second set 20-15, but Walsh turned the tables and won the set with 10 consecutive points.
• "The exact same thing happened in 2019," Foeman recalled. "The identical scenario happened. Coaching is about making sure they relax the next set and focus on what they should focus on."
• Freshman middle blocker Abby Stanford's laser kill ended the third set and put AU ahead 2-1 after Walsh mounted another late comeback. In set No. 4, the Cavaliers scored the first four points and led 6-2 before the Eagles scored the next seven points and took a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

 
THE WRAP-UP

• Junior libero Katie Thompson had a team-high 23 digs in Tuesday's victory, and she became the latest member of the program's 1,000-dig club (1,015).
• "We planned on playing point-by-point. Working for every single ball, and we did that," Thompson said.
• Foeman said, "Our block funneled the ball right to her. They had to go there, and Anna (senior middle blocker Anna Krikke) was a big presence for us tonight."
• Joining Thompson with double-digit digs were sophomore outside hitter Makenna Belcher (14), fifth-year outside hitter Erin Krupar (13) and senior defensive specialist Stephanie Smith (13).
• Offensively, fifth-year setter Zoey Peck racked up a season-high 50 assists, Krupar had a team-high 19 kills, Belcher added 16 kills and sophomore right-side hitter GraceAnn Hartman finished with 10 kills.

 
UP NEXT
Ashland will go on the road for another Great Midwest match on Saturday (Oct. 1) at 1 p.m. at Northwood (10-6, 5-2).
 
"I'm really excited. Northwood's a great team," said Thompson. "Hopefully, we give them a good game."
 
Said Foeman, "They've all been big. We're not going to think of it any differently. We want to play the game and not the situation."