PROVO, Utah – The High Point University volleyball team opened the 2025 regular season at the DoTERRA Classic for the second year in a row. The Panthers kicked off the weekend with a first-time matchup against Central Michigan University with an early morning start. After battling back in the third set to force a fourth, HPU fell 3-1 to the Chippewas.
The Panthers were led by two players on the middle and right-side attack who each tallied double figure kills.
Ella Grace Holloway posted 12 kills on a .733 hit percentage and contributed two blocks.
Maya Bukovcan put down 10 kills in her freshman debut and registered a .412 hit percentage while also contributing two blocks.
Site: Smith Fieldhouse
Score: High Point 1, Central Michigan 3
Records: High Point (0-1), Central Michigan (1-0)
How it Happened:
It took the Panthers two sets to really get going on the offense.
Addison Freeland, who was playing in front of many friends and family being back in Utah, put up three kills with a big block in the first set. One of her kills tied the set at eight all hoping to spark a fire and go on a run.
Instead, the Chippewas found momentum and went on a 6-1 run which made it hard for HPU to close the gap. Late in the set, Freeland put down two back-to-back kills, but it was not enough to seize CMU's lead, resulting in the 25-14 loss in the first set.
In set two, High Point and Central Michigan exchanged points through the first 12 serves. CMU managed to string together multiple points at a time while HPU picked up a point here and there. The Chippewas held a 20-14 lead before going on a late run to take set two 25-14 and lead the match 2-0 going into the third.
The Panthers settled down and rallied back in set three. The offense started clicking with the help of
Gabby Hill who totaled five kills in the third set alone. With a tied game at seven all, Élodie Lalonde hammered a shot down followed by two kills in the middle from
Maya Bukovcan to keep a 10-9 lead. High Point held a steady two-point lead on the Chippewas through the next 10 points.
High Point took a five-point lead at 23-18 to add some security going into the final points of the set. Hill and Holloway put away the set with a kill a piece to win 25-20.
The Panthers continued to bring the heat in the fourth set and kept the game close. HPU took its first lead of the set at 7-6 with an error on the attack from Central Michigan. An outside kill from Hill kept High Point ahead by one point at 15-14 but the Chippewas took back the lead with four straight points to go up 18-15.
The Panthers continued to fight and kept the game within two points after scoring three straight points off a Holloway kill, a CMU error and a
Grace Killion service ace.
Central Michigan went back up by four, 24-20, with a possible match point in sight but the Panthers were not backing down without a fight. A kill on the right side from Holloway gave HPU a point and the serve back. Bukovcan and Lalonde picked up a big-time double block to make it 24-22.
Brooke Briscoe served in an ace followed by a CMU error to tie the set at 24 all.
After putting up a strong battle to tie the game and possibly force a fifth set, the Panthers were unable to score the last two points for the win, resulting in the 3-1 loss.
Extra stats:
- Hill finished the match with nine kills, Lalonde collected six kills and Freeland contributed five kills with two blocks.
- Kea Whillock and Sydney McKay combined for 15 digs on the back line.
- As a team High Point hit .189 for the game and Central Michigan hit .286.
UP NEXT:
High Point will continue its doubleheader with a match against FDU in the evening at 6:30 p.m. ET. Tune in on ESPN+ or follow along with live updates on X (@HPUVB).
#GoHPU
