(Adrian, MI) The volleyball team traveled to Adrian, Michigan on Saturday afternoon to face the Saints of Siena Heights. The Cardinals and Saints both entered the match 4-7 overall witch each having won one conference game as well. The Cardinals came out strong to take the first set, 25-20, but the Saints settled in and won the next three (25-19, 25-15, 21-15) to take the match.
Gabrielle den Boer (JR/Canton, MI) and Delaney Bennett (SR/Fruitport, MI) paced the Cardinals attack with 14 and 10 kills respectively. Katie Veihl and Hailey McCourt (JR/Toledo, OH) combined for 43 assists. Tara Schatzle (JR/Brooklyn, MI) recorded a team high 26 digs with Bennett also tallying 4 block assists to support the defensive efforts.
1st Set: CUAA 25, Siena Heights 20
The Cardinals came out strong and firing on all cylinders leading by as much as 16-10 in the first set. The Cardinals used their highest hitting percentage of the game with .184 to record 15 kills on only 6 errors. Consecutive kills by Bennett and den Boer made it 24-20 Cardinals before a service error by the Saints ended the first set.
2nd Set: Siena Heights 25, CUAA 19
The Saints responded in set two jumping out to a 6-10 lead after a service error by the Cardinals. The Saints lead increased to 17-9 before the Cardinals responded with kills by den Boer, Bennett, and Lena Thompson (SR/Howard City, MI) (14-17). The three point margin was as close as it would get as the Saints rattled off the next five points to take the commanding 14-22 lead and eventually the set, 25-19.
3rd Set: Siena Heights 25, CUAA 15
The Cardinals and Saints played event to start the third set, 7-7. A kills and consecutive aces by the Saints forced a Cardinals timeout, 10-7. The Saints took advantage of several attacking errors to and scored the last five points of the set for the convincing win, 15-25.
4th Set: Siena Heights 25, CUAA 21
The Cardinals continued to hang tough looking to force a fifth set against the Saints. The Cardinals took an early set lead 8-7 after consecutive kills by Lindsey Luff (SO/Flushing, MI) and Hailey McCourt. The Saints quickly responded with a series of aces to take the lead 12-8. The Cardinals clawed their way back to tie the set 15-15 and eventually took the lead 16-15 on a Saints attacking error. The Saints scored three quick points to take a 21-18 lead. The Cardinals once again tied the set at 21-21 on a kill by Bennett. Consecutive attacking errors eventually gave the Saints the set (25-21) and match.
The Cardinals will return to Ann Arbor for three home matches this week. The Cardinals will host Indiana Tech on Wednesday and then host UM-Dearborn on Friday before capping off homecoming week with an evening match against Madonna on Saturday, October 5th.
