DEFIANCE, Ohio - Madonna University extended the match with a strong third-set response but fell to Defiance College in four sets, 25-15, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20, on Sept. 26 at the Karl H. Weaner Center. The loss moved the Crusaders to 5-10 overall and 2-4 in conference play.
Kem Donnelly opened the match with a kill for Madonna, but Defiance broke open the first set after the Crusaders pulled within 11-8 on a Sydney Stonerock ace. Shelby Clements served during a five-point run that gave Defiance a 16-8 advantage, and the home team closed the set on a Madonna attack error. The Crusaders then built a 9-5 lead in the second set behind three kills from Stonerock. Defiance tied the score at 10 and used a six-point run to move in front 14-10. Donnelly's ace cut the margin to 15-13 before Taylor Craft finished Defiance's 25-19 win with a kill.
Madonna answered after falling behind 7-3 in the third set. Addison Boven served two aces during a five-point surge that put the Crusaders ahead 8-7, and Rylie Glass later added an ace for a 14-11 advantage. Donnelly delivered a kill to create set point at 24-19, and Hope Schriber converted a Glass assist on the final point to secure the 25-20 set victory.
Defiance led from the opening point of the fourth set and built its largest advantage at 20-9 on a Chaney Brodbeck kill. Madonna continued to push back, scoring five straight points and getting an ace from Rylie Wright to close within 20-14. Facing match point at 24-16, the Crusaders saved four consecutive match points. Schriber capped that run with a kill to make it 24-20, but Gabby Rodriguez answered with a kill from Haley Hammer to end the match.
Donnelly led Madonna with 11 kills and a match-high 20 digs, while Schriber finished with 10 kills and a .269 hitting percentage. Stonerock and Gwen Clifford each added nine kills. Clifford hit .258 and contributed one solo block and one block assist, while Alyviah Wright had five kills and three block assists. Glass recorded 19 assists, seven digs and two aces, Boven supplied 17 assists, six digs and two aces, and Lexa Forti collected 18 digs.
The Crusaders finished with 46 kills, nine aces, 68 digs and five total blocks while hitting .184. Defiance (15-7, 4-2) hit .290 with 61 kills, 80 digs and eight blocks. Brodbeck paced the home team with 18 kills and 16 digs, Rodriguez added 14 kills on .394 hitting, and Hammer distributed 48 assists. Madonna's third-set turnaround and late fourth-set rally highlighted the team's response despite the four-set result.
The Crusaders will be back in action on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 when they welcome the Blue Devils of Lawrence Tech University to ACCU Arena for a 7:00 PM WHAC matchup.
