ROCHESTER, Mich. – For just the third time this season the Cleveland State volleyball team played a five-set match, falling to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 3-2. The loss drops CSU to 10-11 overall this year and 3-5 in Horizon League play.
Set scores against Oakland were 16-25, 27-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12.
Offensively, the Vikings were led by Grace Kauth who notched 17 kills, while Christina Toth added 13 kills and Maggie Hannon tallied 11 kills. Dayna Roberts returned as CSU's primary setter against Oakland, posting 40 assists on Cleveland State's 61 kills.
Defensively, the Vikings recorded a season-high 99 digs on the match, with five players notching double-digit digs. Nikki Holmes posted a team-high 24 digs, while Roberts and Ally Beck each added 18 digs, Kauth posted 17 digs and Shannon Grega added 15. The Vikings also tallied 11 team blocks against Oakland, with Hannon and Aaliyah Slappy each posting four blocks.
During the opening set the Vikings were able to gain control early and hold the advantage for the entire frame. CSU gained a five-point lead early on at the 9-4 mark after kills from Kauth and Roberts and a block from Hannon and Kauth. CSU held at least a four-point advantage for the rest of the set then, including its largest lead of 10 points at the 21-11 mark after another Kauth kill. The Vikings were able to put the frame away with a Toth kill, earning the 25-16 set victory.
After Oakland rebounded and earned a 27-25 victory during the second set, the Vikings were able to gain a 2-1 lead after picking up a 25-20 victory during the third frame. CSU was finally able to distance itself at the midway point of the third set, earning a five-point lead at the 15-10 mark following a Grega service ace. The Vikings held the lead for the remainder of the frame, and put the set away with back-to-back points from a Hannon kill and a Hannon/Roberts block.
The Golden Grizzlies then evened the match with a 25-16 victory during the fourth set, and clinched the victory with a 15-12 win in set five.
The Vikings will continue their brief roadswing tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, Oct. 25), traveling to Wright State for a 4:00 p.m. contest.
