SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The Madonna University volleyball team got a career effort from freshman Janelle Kwasiborski, but it wasn't enough to overcome seventh-ranked Eastern Oregon University in the first game of Pool G at the 40th Annual NAIA National Championship Presented by Delta Hotels at the Tyson Events Center on Tuesday morning. 

The day could not have started any better for the Blue and Gold as they opened the match with a .343 attack percentage (15-3-35) while limiting the Mountaineers to a .222 (15-5-45) mark to take the first set 25-19. However, the Crusaders finished the match hitting .202 while EOU hit .220 to win the final three sets and take the match, 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22). 

"We played really well and showed a lot of heart and intensity today," said Crusaders assistant coach Brian McClain. "We didn't beat ourselves, you just have to credit Eastern Oregon, they are a really good team and are just a bit more physical than us."

Kwasiborski tallied career highs in kills (19) and attack percentage (.441) and added four blocks, one shy of a career best mark. Jodie Kelly terminated 24 balls to go with 18 digs while Betsy Cook dished out 48 assists and dug 17 balls. Olivia Sweeney paced the back line with a team-high 26 digs. 

"Janelle was outstanding today. She seemed to finally put everything together and played incredible. Jodie had some big kills for us, Betsy set a nice game and the back row, led by Olivia, played good defense," said McClain. 

It was the Crusaders who looked like the top seed in the pool to begin set one as the Blue and Gold won 15 of the opening 19 points for a commanding 15-4 lead. Kwasiborski was responsible for seven of the 15 points with six kills and a block assist. The La Grande, Oregon program made a valiant effort to get back in the set with an 11-6 run, but Madonna did just enough down the stretch to take the opening set 25-19.

Any momentum the Crusaders had quickly evaporated in set two as EOU won the first four and six of the first seven points to take an early lead. Kills from Kelly, Kwasiborski and Tauri Hintz, along with several Mountaineers errors kept Madonna in the set, but a 5-0 run to turn a 9-8 deficit into a 14-8 hole and another 4-0 run later in the set was too much for MU to overcome in a 25-17 loss.
DJ Sargent, Kelly and a slew of EOU miscues allowed Madonna to jump out to a 6-2 lead in the third game. After the teams traded side-outs the Mountaineers scored 5-of-6 to take an 11-10 lead. Back-to-back kills from Kelly and Kwasibroski put MU in front, 14-13, but Eastern Oregon scored 6-of-7 and 12-of-16 to take the set, 25-20.

Kelly and Kwasiborski combined for five of MUs first six points in set four and staked the Blue and Gold to a 6-5 lead. The Mountaineers charged back to take a 17-12 advantage, but the Crusaders didn't back down and used kills from Kelly (3), Kwasiborski (2) and Sargent to score 6-of-7 points to tie the set at 18. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, after the teams traded side-outs EOU scored five of the final seven points for the 25-22 win.

Megan Bunn led EOU with 20 kills while Jet Taylor added 12 and Hailee Ackerman had 10.

UP NEXT

• The Blue and Gold continue play in Pool G on Wednesday, Dec. 4 as they face 10th-ranked Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) who defeated No. 24 Reinhardt University (Ga.) in five sets on Tuesday. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. EST.
• The top two teams from each pool will advance to the bracket round on Friday.
• Fans can view the game for free in the Take 5 Lounge on the campus of Madonna University. 
• The NAIA Network – the association's official video-streaming home – will broadcast all matches excluding the semifinals and championship matches live at the 2019 NAIA Volleyball National Championship final site in Sioux City, Iowa. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, allows users access to live video, statistics and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single-day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while a pool play pass is $24.95 (Dec. 3-5) and a championship package is available at $39.95. You can also buy an All-Championship pass and watch every championship streamed on the NAIA Network in 2019.

CONNECT WITH THE CRUSADERS: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
SUBSCRIBE/DOWNLOAD TEAM SCHEDULES: Download Center
DOWNLOAD THE NEW MOBILE APP: Google Play | iOS