By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – A come-from-behind victory over host Central Michigan on Saturday highlighted a competitive weekend for the Green Bay volleyball team at the Chippewa Invitational. The Phoenix downed the hosts 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-12, 15-8) for its first win of the 2014 season.

For the tournament, which also included 3-1 losses against Butler and Marshall, Green Bay's offense was directed by junior setter Emily Riese (Fond du Lac, Wis.), who earned all-tournament team honors. Riese totaled 107 assists in the three matches.

The offense and defense got a boost from freshman Taylor Totka (Racine, Wis.), who totaled 25 kills and hit a team-high .302 while adding a team-high 14 blocks. In the finale against Marshall, Totka recorded a season-high 11 kills.

Friday: Butler 3, Green Bay 1 (22-25, 25-23, 18-25, 19-25)
The Phoenix split the opening two sets against the Bulldogs, but Green Bay's former Horizon League foe won the final two sets to claim the win in the opening match of the tournament.

For Green Bay, junior Taylor Kasal (Westmont, Ill.) had a team-high 13 kills and added 14 digs for a double-double. Sophomore Shannon Hurley (Connellsville, Pa.) added a season-high 12 kills, but the Phoenix was doomed by 32 errors due in large part to 15 blocks for the Bulldogs.  

Saturday: Green Bay 3, Central Michigan 2 (20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-12, 15-8)
The Phoenix found itself trailing on two occasions in Saturday's opening match, dropping the first and third sets to the host Chippewas.

However, the Phoenix dominated sets four and five by scoring 40 of the 60 combined points. After winning the fourth set 25-12 to even the match, Green Bay kept its momentum by building a 6-1 lead and cruised to a 15-8 win in the deciding set. In the final two sets, the Phoenix had 19 kills with just five errors en route to its best hitting percentage of the young season (.252). Riese totaled 37 assists.

Green Bay's offensive attack was balanced, with six players recording six or more kills each. Kasal tallied a team-high 12 kills and Hurley added 11 kills. Totka tallied eight kills without an error in just 13 swings for a hitting percentage of .615. Totka also added six blocks as the Phoenix totaled 11.0 team blocks.

Saturday: Marshall 3, Green Bay 1 (23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 28-30)
Playing just two hours after defeating Central Michigan, Green Bay ended up on the wrong end of a long, competitive match against Marshall. After falling behind 2-1, the Phoenix had numerous set points in the fourth trying to force a fifth set, but the Thundering Herd closed the match with a 30-28 set win.

Totka's career-high 11 kills led the Phoenix, while sophomore Megan Powers (Glendale, Ariz.) also recorded double-digit kills with 10. Riese dished out 36 assists but also recorded 18 digs defensively.

The Phoenix will return to the court next weekend, facing Rice, UT-San Antonio and Marquette at the Marquette Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Milwaukee.

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