LIVONIA, Mich. - The third-seeded Madonna University volleyball team is set to face seventh seed Lourdes University in the semifinals of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament on Friday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. at the Don Ridler Fieldhouse on the campus of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. 

HOW TO WATCH

• Live video of the contest is available at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ltu/ 
• Live stats will be available at http://bit.ly/2CLYOKl 

SERIES HISTORY

• The Gray Wolves swept the season series, winning 6-of-8 sets, which included a five-set win in Livonia despite the Crusaders scoring more points in the match, 95-92
• Since the first meeting in 2010, the teams have split the eight matches
• The teams have also split their four conference tournament meetings with the Blue and Gold winning the most recent postseason encounter last season, 3-1, at Lourdes

HOW THEY GOT HERE
MADONNA
Madonna defeated sixth-seeded Cornerstone University in four sets on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals. Jodie Kelly paced the offense while Tauri Hintz and Erica LaBaere each added 11 kills and Betsy Cook stepped in at setter to provide 33 assists and 11 digs. 

In the most recent meeting with Lourdes, MU dominated in all phases except serve receive as the Gray Wolves tallied 14 aces in the five set win. Kellie had 17 kills in the win while LaBaere added 12 and Jordyn Dawson had 55 assists while Olivia Sweeney added 25 digs.

MU has won 10 tournament titles (1998, 2000, 02, 04-08, 12-13) with the last coming in 2013 and no team lower than a two seed has won the tournament. 

LOURDES
Lourdes hit a blistering .379 with just five attack errors on Wednesday evening in a 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 victory at second-seeded Aquinas.  Emily Drenth put down 16 kills while hitting .382 and Kylee McBride added a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Allie Hale hit .500 with 11 kills and Alli Plasencio tallied 17 digs for the Gray Wolves.

Lourdes is 12-7 all-time in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament, as the Gray Wolves are making their ninth consecutive appearance in the event.  Lourdes won the tournament titles in both 2015 and 2016 while advancing to the championship match in 2013 and 2017 as well. Last season the Gray Wolves fell to Madonna in four sets in the quarterfinal round.  Lourdes and Madonna have met four times in the WHAC tournament, with each team winning twice.

THE OTHER MATCH
LAWRENCE TECH
The Blue Devils enter the semifinals having won 14 straight contests.  Zakia Hunt has 373 kills and is hitting .344 while registering 80 blocks.  Kristi Doherty has 1,135 assists and 70 service aces while Shelby Rasch has tallied a team-high 492 digs. LTU is the top seed in the tournament.

INDIANA TECH
The Warriors won their second straight match, downing Northwestern Ohio on the road in the semifinals on Wednesday.  Olivia Niekamp has tallied a team-high 365 kills while hitting .228 and Madison Park has handed out 817 assists. Katrina Reynolds has registered a team-leading 30 service aces while Madeline MacDonald has tallied 749 digs.  Havilyn Cummings has blocked 138 balls this year.

THE TOURNAMENT

• The final three games of the year will be held at Don Ridler Fieldhouse on the campus of Lawrence Tech
  • No. 3 Madonna vs. No. 7 Lourdes, 5 p.m.
  • No. 5 Indiana Tech at No. 1 Lawrence Tech, 7:30 p.m.
• The two winners will compete for the 2019 WHAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. If LTU wins, then the winner of Madonna and Lourdes will receive the conference's second bid to the NAIA National Tournament. 

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