LIVONIA, Mich. - The 19th-ranked Madonna University volleyball team, which has yet to lose back-to-back matches this season, continued that trend with their fifth sweep of the year over Concordia University (Mich.) on Friday night inside the Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena.

Playing in front of the largest crowd this season, the Crusaders (6-3, 4-3 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference) put on a blocking clinic in a 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-20) victory over the Cardinals (4-6, 4-4 WHAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cardinals led early in the match and as late as 12-10, but then Ryan Castle stepped to the service line and served five straight points, highlighted by back-to-back aces. Concordia won five-of-six to tie the game at 17, but three attack errors, a block by Emily Stewart and Kacie Stoneburner and a Betsy Cook ace put MU three points from the win. A Tauri Hintz kill sealed the set one win.

Set two was all MU as Katie Engelhardt, who made some impressive digs, served six straight points which included a pair of Hintz kills and a block by Stoneburner and DJ Sargent. Another four-point run put the Crusaders up 10, 16-6 and the home team scored four of the final five points, capped once again by a Hintz kill. 

The Blue and Gold again led early with a 15-12 margin, but the Cardinals capitalized on a pair of MU errors to tie the game. Once again Englehardt turned the game at the service line as she served five straight points, highlighted by back-to-back blocks from Sargent, Castle and Stoneburner. Sargent sealed the match with her third kill of the match.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
15-2 - Madonna tallied 15 blocks in the match to just two for the Cardinals
.192 - The Crusaders hit .192 (33-13-104) but limited Concordia to a -.008 (33-34-129)
9 - The number of players to record a kill for MU, led by Jodie Kelly with nine
21 -  The number of assists for Betsy Cook. Jordyn Dawson added 12.
8 - Sargent's block assists on the night. Stoneburner added five while Janelle Kwasiborski and Stewart each had four. 

UP NEXT
Madonna hits the road for game four of their five games in seven days as they travel to Southfield to square off with Lawrence Technological University on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. 

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