The SMC Women's Volleyball Team swept three of their four opponents this weekend at the Owens Invitational in Perrysburg, Ohio.
On Friday, the team came out strong and fast against Cuyahoga and swept the Triceratops 25-9, 25-13, and 25-13. After a five hour break (because the courts were running behind), SMC came out strong in the first set winning 25-15, but then the momentum shifted, and Edison State took the next three sets 14-25, 16-25, and 11-25.
"Overall, it was a good start today," said Head Coach Jenny Nate. "We took down Cuyahoga and were able to have balanced scoring and very consistent play, but when we faced off against Edison State, despite a strong start and winning the first set, we struggled to win runs and maintain our energy. They had strong hitters, and good block, and were extremely scrappy. In order to beat a team like that, we have to be able to put the ball down from various spots and really mix up our offense. We got stuck in a few rotations at times, and we are still working to find a lineup that really gels. This type of competition is exactly what we need this weekend. We need to be challenged in order to get better and get used to performing under pressure - defensively and offensively, and although every loss stings, we have to use it for good and let it make us better moving forward as we continue to capitalize on our strengths while we improve in some of our weaker areas. The team will get a good night's sleep, and we will be back at it tomorrow."
Then on Saturday, the Roadrunners swept day two defeating the Terra State Titans 25-10, 25-12, 25-6 and went on to take down the Lakeland Lakers 25-12, 25-11, and 25-13 to finish the day. "It was an awesome day and great tournament for our team finishing 2-0 today and 3-1 on the weekend," Nate said. "We came out with big energy today and it showed offensively and defensively. Along with two big wins, we used the depth of our entire team today and had balanced stats across the board, which is always a positive as well. During our first match of the day, we had big leads on Terra in all three sets, and during the third set (we were up 15-6), one of their outside hitters went down with a medical emergency and stopped breathing. It was a scary situation, and luckily there was a trainer on staff as well as spectators with medical experience who jumped into action until the ambulance arrived. Our team, Terra State, and two other teams nearby joined together to help protect the player involved and give privacy while they worked to get her breathing and taken to the hospital. Terra forfeited the final set at the 15-6 point when the injury occurred, which gave us the 25-6 final score, and our teams stayed after the match to support one another. It was total class concerning all the teams and families in the facility, and our prayers are with the injured player and their team.
"After a one game break, we returned to the court with the same energy and offensive and defensive prowess and took down Lakeland in three sets," she continued. "I was really pleased with our hustle plays today and balanced scoring. We had some amazing defensive saves that we quickly turned into kills, which has been one of our practice goals. The team will have a two-day break and then will hit the court and classes next week as we prepare to begin conference play. I am beyond proud of this team for their 3-1 weekend, but I am especially proud of their class and compassion in a critical situation today."
The Roadrunners now have a break in the schedule, as classes begin Tuesday, September 5. Their next game is at Glen Oaks on September 12, where they open MCCAA Western Conference play.
