DEARBORN, Mich. - The Madonna University volleyball team, behind 24 kills from Jodie Kelly, improved to 4-0 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play with a four set, 31-29, 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, victory over the University of Michigan-Dearborn at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

The win moves MU to 12-4 overall while the Wolverines fall to 2-11 on the year and 1-3 in WHAC action.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Madonna dominated much of the first set as they did not trail until the home team went ahead 21-20. After Kelly tied the set with a pair of kills, the Wolverines answered with two more for set point. Kelly delivered another kill and a service ace to tie the game at 24. UM-Dearborn had another set point with a kill, but an attack error and an Erica LaBaere kill gave MU the advantage. After seven side-outs, the Crusaders eventually sealed the 31-29 win with a Kelly kill and another Wolverines miscue. 
• The Crusaders won six of the opening eight points and led 13-8 in set two, but UM-Dearborn responded with a 10-1 run, which included three service aces, to take an 18-14 lead. The Blue and Gold took six of the next seven points to take a 20-19 lead, but the home team captured six of the final nine points for the 25-23 win.
• It was all MU after the lengthy set break as kills from DJ Sargent and Kelly as well as a pair of aces from Betsy Cook turned a 3-2 deficit into a 7-3 lead in the third game. The Dearborn program got to within five, 16-11, but the Crusaders won nine of the next 11, which included seven straight, to take the third set 25-13.
• With momentum firmly on their side, Madonna won the first five points and 8-of-10 to take an early lead in set four. UM-Dearborn kept it within two for much of the set until four consecutive kills from Tauri Hintz, Jordyn Dawson, Kelly and LaBaere made it 23-17. A pair of Wolverine errors gave MU the match win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• 10 - Led by four from Olivia Sweeney and three from Cook, the Crusaders tallied 10 service aces in the match
• .328 - Kelly, who attempted 58 attacks in the contest, hit .328
• 18 - Katie Engelhardt paced the MU defense with 18 digs while Sweeney added 11 and Ryleigh Jacobs tallied 10
• 41 - Cook continues to excel as the Crusaders' primary setter as she dished out 41 assists
• 12 - LaBaere finished with 12 kills and hit a team-best .360 on 25 attempts

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders wrap-up a three-game WHAC road trip on Wednesday, Sept. 25 when they visit Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio for a 7 p.m. contest. The week wraps up with a pair of Homecoming contests on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28 at 7 and 1 p.m., respectively. 

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