Alyssa Facione, pictured, led MU in digs in a road loss to Indiana Tech, 3-1
Indiana Tech Sports Information
1
Madonna MUVB 11-4, 3-3 WHAC
3
Winner Indiana Tech INTECH 10-7, 4-3 WHAC
Madonna MUVB
11-4, 3-3 WHAC
1
Final
3
Indiana Tech INTECH
10-7, 4-3 WHAC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Madonna MUVB 20 26 25 19 (1)
Indiana Tech INTECH 25 28 21 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Zachary Shore

Road unkind to No. 23 @MUCrusadersVB as skid hits three

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – It's a different kind of season for the 23rd-ranked Madonna University volleyball team as the young squad seeks to find its way after a third straight loss, second on the road, on Saturday afternoon to Indiana Tech, 3-1 (25-20, 28-26, 21-25, 25-19), at the Schaefer Center.

The Crusaders volleyball program, which began in 1987, has never lost more than three conference games in a season and has never lost three conference games in a row. The loss to Indiana Tech marks the first since 2011.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Indiana Tech (10-7, 4-3 WHAC) 3, No. 23 Madonna (11-4, 3-3 WHAC) 1

  • Set one

    • It wasn't a great start for the Crusaders as a service error, two blocks and a kill gave the home team a 4-0 lead. After another MU service error made it 6-3, Madonna responded with a pair of kills from Jodie Kelly, and a pair of block assists from Nyla Greer/Kelly and Greer/Lauren Korth to take the lead, 7-6. After the teams traded the lead several times, the Warriors used a pair of four point runs to take control and eventually win set one, 25-20.

  • Set Two

    • The home team gave the Crusaders a gift to begin set two with a service error, but MU could not take advantage. The teams traded side-outs early before three straight kills from Ryleigh Jacobs, Jordan Dawson and Taylor Suurmeyer put Madonna in front, 9-6. The Fort Wayne, Indiana program answered with three straight and the teams traded side-outs before the Warriors scored 5-of-6 points for a 16-13 lead. The Crusaders rallied to score nine of the next 11 points, highlighted by a pair of Greer blocks and two Greer kills to go up 22-18. Indiana Tech then took over as they scored 10 of the final 14 points to take the second set, 28-26.

  • Set Three

    • Madonna dominated the third set early as they raced out to an 8-3 lead. Seven straight points by the home team turned the tide, but the Crusaders didn't back down. Seven of the next five points went to the Warriors to make it 17-13 before MU took control for good. A pair of Kelly kills drew MU within two and two more Suurmeyer kills followed an IT service error to tie the score at 18. It was all part of a 12-4 MU run to close a 25-21 win.

  • Set Four

    • After the Crusaders took a 4-3 lead, the Warriors scored 7-of-11 points to go up 10-6. A pair of Suurmeyer kills highlighted a 7-2 run by the Blue and Gold to put the visitors up 13-12. A service error ended the rally and sparked the home squad to a 10-4 run and an eventual 25-19 win to seal the loss.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • The Warriors barely outhit the Crusaders .167 (59-30-174) to .160 (49-22-169) and had more aces (5-2), assists (54-46) and digs (87-77).

  • Suurmeyer led MU with 16 kills and a .244 attack percentage while Kelly finished with 12 kills and 17 digs

  • Korth finished with 36 assists while Alyssa Facione paced the defense with 21 digs

  • Greer finished with a career-best seven blocks (3 solo, 4 assists)

MILESTONES TO WATCH

  • Head Coach Jerry Abraham (1,191) continues his pursuit of 1,200 career wins and needs nine more.

  • Korth sits in seventh on the all-time assist list with 3,723; 241 shy of Jennie Wind (1998-01) for sixth.

JERRY'S WORLD

  • "We just couldn't finish. We played well at times, other times we let too many points go. We are struggling to keep things consistent and credit our opponents, they played really well. Lauren is setting good games, we just aren't attacking consistently enough and are giving up too many tips and offspeed shots on defense. We are making critical errors at the worst times. We will get better." - Head Coach Jerry Abraham on what's been going wrong

  • "We are not playing consistent enough on the attack to beat good opponents on the road. The parity in the league is the best I've ever seen it. The WHAC is strong top to bottom and it's going to be a tough year for everyone." - Abraham on strong play of conference opponents

UP NEXT

  • Madonna returns home to kickoff homecoming week as Lawrence Tech visits the MU Activities Center on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. After the match the team will sign their schedule posters.

  • Live coverage of the contest will be available on the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live.

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