WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-- The Madonna University Volleyball team picked up two wins, each by a score of 3-1, Wednesday on day one of the Keiser University Volleyball Invitational Presented by the Palm Beach County Sport Commission.

Game 1 vs Warner, W 3-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

Though allowing the first point to Warner, the Crusaders roared back to go on a 9-1 run to start off the first set behind a shotgun start, back-to-back kills from Brigette Vanderham. Olivia Sweeny's sets to Kelly, Emily Stewart, and Vanderham helped Madonna secure a huge 25-11 set one win.

The second set saw Madonna in a crunch, staring in the face of a 23-18 deficit before a comeback started to mount from Vanderham and Stewart built though Madonna fell 25-22.

In the third, it was no easy feat to put away the Royals as both teams exchanged jabs never scoring more than two or three points in a row until the midway point of the frame. The Crusaders were once again in a 17-12 hole as the team proved once more behind a kill from Molly Miller that games are never over until they're over. 

Knotted up at 19, Madonna took the lead off a Warner attacking error that saw the Crusaders with the edge for the first time since the score was 11-10. In the final moments of the frame, it was Kelly and a block by Stewart that gave set three to Madonna. 

The story was much of the same in the fourth, though it was Madonna that saw buffered leads evaporate under bites of scoring from Warner. The Royals overtook the lead with the score 17-16 on a 7-1 run. With Warner up 23-19, a Kacie Stoneburner kill provided by Jordyn Dawson gave Madonna the spark as it launched off to a 6-1 run, stealing the match win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Crusaders commanded the net with 11 blocks through four sets between Stewart and Vanderham. Kelly also racked up double-digit kills with a game-high 16 off 43 total attacks as Miller tallied 11. 

The Royals compiled 19 errors through the match as Madonna took five service aces, two from Kelly. 


Game 2 vs William Carey, W 3-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

Starting game two, once more Madonna found itself in a struggle. Going toe-to-toe with the Crusaders in the opening moments, it was a back-to-back set and kill from Ryleigh Jacobs and Stoneburner, respectively, that widened the gap just enough for Madonna to squeeze out a 25-20 opening set win.

The second set was started off by a 8-0 hot streak by Madonna that the opposing Crusaders just could not overcome. The lead got up to as much as nine points at certain marks as a DJ Sargent kill and a William Carey attacking error ended any chance of the other Crusaders had at mounting a comeback. 

Yet another tight set was on display in the third. William Carey found itself in the lead most of the match. In the waning moments, Stoneburner's kill and Dawson's service ace was not enough to snatch set three.

It was all Madonna in the final set leading three sets to one. A 5-0 streak started off by yet another Stoneburner kill gave the Crusaders a buffer as it headed into the mid-pack of the frame. Kelly sent Madonna on another streak for the effective win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Madonna spread the ball around with 50 assists as Stoneburner racked up 23, nearly half, of those. Kelly, Stoneburner, and Vanderham each amassed double-digit kills with 14, 12, and 11, respectively. 


UP NEXT

Madonna stays in West Palm Beach, Florida for day two of the Keiser Volleyball Invitational Sponsored by the Palm Beach County Sport Commission where it will do battle with Milligan University (Tenn.) and Southeastern University (Fla.) starting at 8:00 a.m. 

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