DEARBORN, Mich. – The Madonna University volleyball team made it two-in-a-row as they recorded their third-best attack percentage of the season (.333) en route to a second consecutive road sweep as they made quick work of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, 25-17, 25-14, 25-21. It's the 15th win of the year for the Crusaders who move to 15-6 overall and 7-5 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play while the Wolverines fall to 4-16 on the year and 1-10 in league play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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The home team took the early lead, 4-1, but the Crusaders didn't waste much time taking control as the Blue and Gold won 14 of the next 17 points to take a 15-7 lead. Kills from Nyla Greer (2), Ryan Castle and Jodie Kelly highlighted a 6-0 run with Lauren Korth serving. After UMD made it 10-7, Castle served four straight points with an ace and a pair of kills from Taylor Suurmeyer. The home team made it close, but the Crusaders closed strong as they won six of the final eight points that featured a Kelly service ace and kill, a Greer kill and a Suurmeyer/Chestnut block for the win.
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MAdonna started fast and never let up in game two as Amber Kelly registered a kill and Olivia Sweeney tallied a service ace to begin the game before MU won 5-of-6 points to take an 8-3 lead. The Wolverines kept the set close until a big Greer/J. Kelly block sparked a 10-2 run to end the set. Korth netted an ace and MU got kills from both Kelly's and Greer, a Greer/Castle block and Alyssa Facione sealed the 25-14 win with an ace.
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The final set was a back-and-forth affair with the Crusaders holding the slim lead for much of the contest. The match was won down the stretch as MU, up just 21-20, won four of the final five points for the sweep. A J. Kelly kill started a 3-0 run which included a pair of blocks from Erica LaBaere/Greer and Greer/Nicole Chestnut before a Greer kill ended the match.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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Madonna improves to 35-1 all-time against the Wolverines which includes a 12-0 road mark
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The Blue and Gold hit .333 (35-9-78) while the defense held UM-Dearborn to a .092 (25-17-87) mark.
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MU also had more aces (6-4), blocks (6-3), assists (31-21) and digs (40-29)
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J. Kelly led MU with 12 kills while Greer added nine and LaBaere tallied five
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Greer had a team-best .538 attack percentage and tallied five block assists
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Korth finished with 28 assists, two kills and nine digs
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Facione added nine digs while Sweeney had eight and J. Kelly added seven
MILESTONES TO WATCH
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Head Coach Jerry Abraham (1,195) continues his pursuit of 1,200 career wins and needs five more.
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Korth sits in seventh on the all-time assist list with 3,873; 35 shy of Jennie Wind (1998-01) for sixth.
UP NEXT
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Madonna returns to the MU Activities Center for their next contest - a date with Siena Heights University on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.
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Live coverage will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live.
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