LIVONIA, Mich.-- The Madonna University Crusaders Volleyball team captured the regular season Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference title on Saturday afternoon as it defeated Cornerstone University (Mich.) 3-1 inside the Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Madonna started off the first set 4-0 behind a Golden Eagle attacking error and back-to-back Jodie Kelly kills. The Crusaders continued pushing momentum through the first and second sets taking both in 25-17 and 25-13. 

With a 2-0 lead, Cornerstone suddenly found itself down 6-1 early in the third, taking off bites of the lead as the Golden Eagle faithful grew rowdy. A 6-0 CU streak got the Golden Eagle bench fired up as Madonna had to fight from a deficit for the first time all game. Madonna got as close as 23-23 with both teams tallying kills that would send the opponents into extra points where Cornerstone would win 27-25. 

As the momentum change shifted to the Golden Eagles, Madonna once again stared at a 6-1 hole in the fourth. Four-straight points started off by Kacie Stoneburner and Molly Miller got Madonna back within one before CU started to pull away once more. The Golden Eagles won the race to 20, holding Madonna to a 21-16 lead. 

A few key timeouts along with Miller and DJ Sargent lifted the Crusaders as the started to crawl back. Kelly secured two kills and a a Golden Eagle attacking error pitted CU before the visitors took a one-point lead at 26-25. Kelly and Stoneburner got the tying and leading point before a ball handling error by the Golden Eagles gave Madonna the third and final set win.
 

Feel the moment. 🥲 pic.twitter.com/f2ve1WxmGn

— Madonna Volleyball (@MUCrusadersVB) November 6, 2021

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kelly finished the day with 20 kills as Porter took 14 and Stoneburner had 11
• Porter dominated the net with 10 blocks to her name
• Jordyn Dawson found her name a lot on the stat sheet as the Canadian had 50 assists
• This is the first time this season that Madonna and their opponent had to go to extra points in two-straight sets

UP NEXT

Up next for the squad is the 2021 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament where the Crusaders will host as the No. 1 seed at home at the ACCU Arena on Wednesday, November 10.

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