LIVONIA, Mich.-- The 2021 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Volleyball Tournament got underway Wednesday afternoon as the No. 1 seeded Madonna University Crusaders played host to the No. 8 seed University of Michigan-Dearborn at the Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena for a 3-0 sweep.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Madonna made quick work of UM Dearborn in the first set as both team's front row showed out with four of the first nine total points of the match coming from block assists on both sides. It wasn't until Jodie Kelly stood back in serve for nine-straight points that lifted Madonna to the 25-10 first set win.

The Wolverines then came out firing in the second as Molly Miller and Kacie Stoneburner found themselves in a boxing match to keep the Crusaders afloat. UM Dearborn would not go quietly in the latter stages of the set, closing the gap down by one at 23-22 in favor of the Crusaders. An attacking error by the Wolverines and a final Kelly kill gave Madonna a 25-22 win.

Started by a Wolverine attacking error, Madonna stretched their lead out to 6-1 in the third as it unfolded much the same as the first. Jaeda Porter, DJ Sargent, and a multitude of UMD attacking errors continued to pile points into Madonna's side of the scoreboard as the Crusaders finished off the visitors as seen by a final Wolverine attacking error for a 25-15 finish.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• With this win Madonna will host the remainder of the 2021 WHAC Volleyball Tournament inside the ACCU on Friday, November 12 with the semifinals at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. with the championship gave at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 13
• Kelly notched nine kills off 26 total attacks along with Stoneburner who had nine kills on 17 attempts, Miller and Sargent had seven, respectively
• The Crusaders hit .345 to UMD's .057 
• Madonna's front row of Sargent and Stoneburner tallied 16 blocks, six of which credited to the duo
• Reining WHAC Setter of the Week, Jordyn Dawson, had 25 assists

UP NEXT

The Crusaders await the winner of No. 5 Siena Heights University (Mich.) and No. 4 Aquinas College (Mich.) in Grand Rapids this evening for the 2021 WHAC Volleyball Tournament semifinals in Livonia on Friday, November 12.

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