TOURNEY TIME: Crusaders to host Concordia in WHAC Quarterfinals

Madonna leads the all-time series 45-1 and  has won 11 straight sets and 42 straight matches against the Cardinals. MU has dropped just three sets since the last loss, a 3-2 win by the Cardinals in 1995. MU is 3-0 all-time in tournament matchups with the Cardinals.

MU is 29-1 at home and 13-0 in Ann Arbor. 
 

The Crusaders enter the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament as the third seed, but have not played a match since their last meeting with Concordia on March 23, a 3-0 sweep. 

The Blue and Gold finished the regular-season 13-4 overall and 11-4 in league play, but saw their last three matches canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. Madonna swept both matches with the Cardinals this season with scores of 25-22, 25-11, 25-20 at home and 25-18, 25-17, 25-23 in Ann Arbor. 

Madonna's offense runs through Jodie Kelly who is one of two players with triple-digit kills on the season with 288. Kacie Stoneburner added 112 on the right side. Jordyn Dawson leads the team with 367 assists (6.02 per set) while Betsy Cook added 257 (4.59 per set). DJ Sargent led the defense at the net with 57 total blocks while Emily Stewart added 50.

In the back row, three Crusaders had tallied triple figure digs, led by libero Olivia Sweeney who has 301, 4.93 per game. 

In the NAIA, MU ranks 35th in blocks/gm (2.11) and 41st in assists per game (11.74) and while Kelly is fourth in kills/gm (4.72) and 42nd in total kills (288).

Concordia comes into the match having lost their last three matches and 4-of-5. 

The Cardinals are led offensively by Kayla Peters who tallied 241 kills this season and hit .136 while Kaitlin Veihl added 160 kills at a .183 clip. Abigail Austin (344 assists) and Hailey McCourt (341 assists) set up the offense from the setter position while Veihl paced the defense at the net with 52 total blocks. 

In the back row five Cardinals tallied triple-digit digs, led by libero Tara Schatzle who tallied 390 and averaged 5.06 per set. 

Cornerstone University won the regular season title and will host the semifinals and championship matches on Friday and Saturday, April 9-10. They have announced that all teams competing will be allow two fans per student-athlete and coach. 

Cornerstone will face the winner of No. 5 Siena Heights and No. 4 Indiana Tech on Friday at 7:30 p.m. with the winner of Madonna and Concordia facing the No. 2 Aquinas/No.7 Lourdes winner on Friday at 5 p.m.