WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Volleyball halted a three-match skid by winning both matches over the visiting Lumberjacks of Alpena Community College on Saturday (Oct. 9) in Warren. The Monarchs won Saturday's opener in sweeping fashion (25-18, 25-15, 25-18) and closed out the day with a 3-1 triumph by set scores of 25-5, 25-14, 23-25, and 25-17. The pair of wins elevates the Monarchs to 11-9 overall and 5-2 in MCCAA Eastern Conference action. After dropping both matches on Saturday, the Lumberjacks fall to 2-4 overall and an identical 2-4 in league play.
MATCH ONE: Macomb 3, Alpena 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18)
The Monarchs came out strong Saturday with a 40-kill performance (.292 team hitting percentage) to earn their 10th win of the season in the opening sweep over Alpena. Natalie Husson (Marysville, Mich./Marysville) – the current MCCAA Eastern Conference Player of the Week – continued her torrid pace by recording 12 kills with no errors on 25 attempts (.480 hitting percentage). The impressive stat line was followed up by transfer outside hitter Erika Knieper (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) who racked up 10 kills while only committing two errors on 17 attempts (.471 hitting percentage).
Ja'Nae Davis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Godwin Heights) and Kara Lewicki (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North) chimed in with eight and six kills, respectively, while Emily Langlois (Macomb, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) once again set up the offense with 35 assists.
Khloee Stoll (Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay), the conference's leader in digs and digs per set, tallied 23 digs, six ahead of teammate Juliana Bollini (Washington, Mich./Romeo) who checked in with 17 digs of her own.
Haley Link (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North) and Samantha Olson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II) rounded out a strong team performance with seven digs each.
MATCH TWO: Macomb 3, Alpena 1 (25-5, 25-14, 23-25, 25-17)
Natalie Husson did it again! The freshman middle followed a match one line of 12 kills and no errors with 13 kills and only one error in Saturday's latter match. Husson's second match stat line amounted to a .500 hitting percentage and was just ahead of Ja'Nae Davis who posted 13 kills with only one error for a .435 hitting percentage. Erika Knieper and Kara Lewicki closed out the top performers on the Monarchs attack with 10 kills each. Lewicki added 11 digs to help the Monarchs earn their 11th win of the season.
The Monarchs were balanced defensively with Khloee Stoll once again leading the way with 24 digs. Stoll was followed by Samantha Olson who posted a career-best 17 digs, while Juliana Bollini recorded 13 digs.
Emily Langlois capped off a solid day by setting a new career-high with 46 assists and added 13 digs in the Monarchs four-set victory.
UP NEXT: A pair of mid-week home matches
The Monarchs will remain home for a pair of home matches this week! First, the Ocelots of Schoolcraft College visit Warren for a 7:00 p.m. match on Tuesday (Oct. 12). One day later, the Monarchs will host Oakland Community College on Wednesday (Oct. 13) at 7:00 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on www.MacombMonarchs.com/Watch.
FUN WEEK AHEAD!
Stay tuned for an exciting announcement regarding volleyball's home matches this week!
