Box Score LIVONIA, Mich. - Madonna volleyball (3-7, 1-3 WHAC) picked back to back wins and their first conference win against the University of Northwestern Ohio (10-10, 1-3 WHAC) on Friday evening. The Crusaders would defeat the Racers in five sets with final scores of 25-22, 22-25, 25-17, 23-25, and 15-12. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

In set one, the Crusaders got off to an early lead going up as much as 16-7.  Then the Racers would make a push of their own bringing the game back to tied at 22-22 late but that is where their run would end as the Crusaders would score the next three points with two kills from Evan Hughes to take set one 25-22. 

In set two, the set started as a game of runs with each team making three to four point runs making the game tied at 14 at the midway point. Then UNOH went on a couple more four point runs taking as much as a 24-18 lead. The Crusaders would fight back going on a four point run to bring the game within two but couldn't quite make the comeback as the Racers would take set two 22-25. 

In set three, the Crusaders again came out hot taking a quick 8-0 lead led by Hannah Keenan and Kira Buza. The Racers would try to make a comeback and would come back to within three with a 13-16 score but the Crusaders would go on another 7-0 run led this time by Buza and Paige Caradonna to easily take set three 25-17.

Set four was almost the same as set number two with each team making three to four point runs but it was the Racers who would take a 10-7 lead early on. The Crusaders would respond with a 6-0 run to take a 13-10 lead halfway through set number four. From there the game was back and forth all the way to the end but a 4-0 run late from the Racers helped push them to take set four with a 23-25 set win. 

It all came down to set number five where it was the Racers that jumped out to an early 4-1 lead. The Crusaders would then trade blows with the Racers and at the side switch it was the Racers up 8-6. The Racers would take the first point after the switch but then the Crusaders came to life going on a 4-0 run to take their first lead of set five at 10-9. The Racers would then take back the lead at 12-11 with the Crusaders calling their final timeout. Out of the timeout it was all Crusaders as they would go on a 4-0 run led by Buza and Caradonna securing the set and match victory with a final of 15-12.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Keenan would lead the team in kills with 17.
• Karlee Stoll had 56 assists and 17 digs for Madonna. 
• Kem Donnelly would lead the team in digs with 20 at her new libero position.
• Ryley Osentoski would have a strong game finishing with 17 digs. 

UP NEXT:

Madonna will be back in action tomorrow September 21st as the take on the Warriors from Indiana Tech. The match is set to start at 2:00 PM. 


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