NORTH CANTON, Ohio – The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team split its Saturday slate at the Hall of Fame City Challenge, sweeping Point Park University in the morning before falling in straight sets to host Walsh University in the afternoon. The Cardinals (2-2) split both days of the opening weekend.

Match 1: Saginaw Valley 3, Point Park 0 (25–16, 25–18, 25–12)

In the opener, SVSU rolled past Point Park (0-3) by set scores of 25-16, 25-18, 25-12. Emily Foster (Ferndale, Mich. / Ferndale HS) and Ava Decker (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart HS) led with eight kills each, while Foster added two blocks and Decker chipped in two service aces. Rachel Townsend (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford HS) and Kendall Ihm (Owosso, Mich. / Owosso HS) tallied seven kills apiece, with Ihm hitting .600. Setter Jackie Scheiber (Wyandotte, Mich. / Riverview Community HS) dished out 26 assists, and libero Liz Bruschuk (Villa Park, Ill. / Willowbrook HS) anchored the defense with 18 digs and two aces. Kelsey Foster (Oswego, Ill. / Oswego HS) added two aces and seven digs.

Set One (25–16)

The  Cardinals broke the set open with a 5–0 run fueled by back-to-back aces from Bruschuk and two more from Kelsey Foster. Decker added a pair of kills during the surge and later tacked on two more aces as the lead grew to double digits. SVSU closed out the frame on a Decker kill.

Set Two (25–18)

Trailing 3–0 early, the Cardinals responded with an 8–0 burst that featured kills from Townsend, Emily Foster, Helm, and Ihm, along with a block by Emily Foster. Point Park pulled within one at 15-14, but SVSU steadied and took six of the final eight points, finishing the set on an opponent error.

Set Three (25–12)

SVSU dominated the final frame, racing out to an 11–4 advantage behind kills from Decker, Townsend, Emily Foster, and Earl. Townsend dropped in an ace midway through, and Lochbiler capped the sweep with a block for the 25th point.

In the afternoon, the Cardinals battled Walsh (3-1) but dropped the match 25-17, 25-22, 25-18. SVSU hit just .063, totaling 29 kills against 23 errors, while the Cavaliers hit .312 with 38 kills.

Chloe Vanwinkle (Clio, Mich. / Clio HS) paced the Cardinals with 10 kills and seven digs. Ihm posted six kills and four blocks, while Decker chipped in four kills, two aces, and two blocks. Townsend recorded five kills, seven digs, and a block assist, while Scheiber finished with 26 assists and an ace. Bruschuk and Kendall White (DeWitt, Mich. / St. John's HS) added 13 digs each, with White also tallying two aces.

Match 2: Saginaw Valley 0, Walsh 3 (25–17, 25–22, 25–18)

Set One (17-25)

SVSU kept it close early with kills from Townsend, Sisk, and Vanwinkle, but a mid-set Cavalier run created separation. Decker delivered an ace late, but Walsh closed on top 25–17.

Set Two (22-25)

The Cardinals led 12-11 before a 7-0 run extended their lead with kills by Sisk, Vanwinkle, Townsend, and Decker. The Cavaliers used a 7-1 run to cut the lead to two and closed out on a 5-0 run to win the set.

Set Three (18-25)

Vanwinkle sparked the attack with two early kills, and Decker added another as SVSU stayed even through 14-14. A 6-1 run for Walsh and a 7-1 run pushed them ahead for the match sealing set.

Up Next: Saginaw Valley heads to the Cedarville Invitational next weekend and plays West Liberty State and Cedarville on Friday, September 12. The Cardinals and the Hilltoppers play at 9:00 AM and the Cardinals take on the Yellow Jackets at 2:00 PM from the Callan Athletic Center.