Box Score (PDF)

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Freshman Rocio Fortuny recorded a career-high 13 kills to lead the University of Evansville volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Central Michigan in their first match of the Chippewa Challenge on Friday evening.
 
Fortuny notched her 13 kills in 22 attempts while committing just two errors.  Those numbers helped her hit .500 on the night.  Fellow frosh Mildrelis Rodriguez was also efficient, recording 12 kills while hitting .400.  Genesis Miranda led the way for Evansville (6-6) with 16 kills.  It was the most amongst all players.
 
"I am very proud of the girls' composure throughout the game," head coach Manolo Concepcion said.  "CMU is a solid team with a great system, so it was great to see them keep their minds focused on the small details, especially on ball control."
 
The Chippewas (3-8) were led by a 15-kill performance from Taylor Robertson.  Jordan Bueter finished the night with 10 as the squad finished the night hitting .223.  Evansville was even better at .275.
 
Evansville's evening did not start out as planned as Central Michigan jumped out to a 4-1 lead before finishing with a 25-22 victory in the first set.  The Aces led by a 17-15 score thanks to a Rodriguez kill before the Chippewas took advantage of a pair of Bueter kills that put them back on top at 19-18.
 
In the second game, it was Evansville who got off to the hot start and never looked back.  Kim Deprez did the serving as the Aces scored five of the first six points, going up 5-1.  That lead reached as many as seven points when a Miranda tally put the Aces up 17-10.  Despite being a young team, the Aces never let their guard down.  The Chippewas got within five at one point before UE took the 25-18 triumph.
 
Another quick start saw the Aces take a 4-1 lead in the third frame as Stephanie Cerino posted a pair of early kills.  The gap was cut to just two points at 16-14 when the Aces made their run, posting the next four points to go up 20-14.  UE continued to hold that lead at 24-18 when CMU made it interesting.  Four points in a row by the Chippewas got them within just two at 24-22 before Miranda put the game away with a kill on an assist from Lorena Marquez.
 
Over the course of the first three sets, the team that got off to the fast start was able to finish off the win.  Down 6-2 in the fourth game, Evansville did not want to let history repeat itself.  After CMU took the advantage, UE slowly chipped its way back.  Consecutive Miranda kills knotted the game up at 10-10.  The rally continued as a Fortuny point and a Miranda service ace put the Aces in front, 14-12.
 
Central Michigan tied it up at 14-14, but Evansville put its foot down, reeling off the next four points before finishing the game on an 11-6 run to take a 25-20 win and clinch the match.  Tomorrow, Evansville looks to keep the momentum rolling with two more matches.  The Aces take on Nebraska-Omaha at 9 a.m. CT before facing San Jose State at 4 p.m. CT.
  

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