Madonna Sweeps Pool Play at Early Bird Classic

	Freshman Inta Grinvalds led the Crusaders with 45 assists against Tiffin on Friday at the UM-Dearborn Early Bird Tournament.

8/25/2006

SPRING ARBOR BOX | TIFFIN BOX

Dearborn, Mich. -- The Crusaders volleyball squad opened up the UM-Dearborn Early Bird Tournament with a pair of wins against Spring Arbor and Tiffin on Friday.

The fifth-ranked Crusaders improved to 3-0 overall after defeating Tiffin in three straight games by scores of 30-28, 30-28 and 30-24.

Madonna defeated Spring Arbor earlier in the day by scores of 30-25, 30-17 and 30-20.

Senior middle hitter Caryn Inman (Oxford, MI/Oxford HS) racked up a team high 37 total kills in two matches on Friday.  Inman posted 23 kills in the Crusaders win over Tiffin in the nightcap.

Sophomore outside hitter Lubovj Tihomirova (Rigas, Latvia/Rigas Classic HS) led the Crusaders in kills in the first match, recording 15 kills against the Cougars.  Tihomirova also posted 18 kills in Madonna's second win of the night against the Dragons.

Two freshman setters recorded 20-plus assists in the first match of the day against Spring Arbor.  Inta Grinvalds (Portage, MI/Portage Central HS) led the team with 25 assists and Natalie Niblock (White Pigeon, MI/White Pigeon HS) added 21 assists.  Grinvalds shined on the floor in the second match for Madonna by picking up a game high 45 assists.

Senior middle hitter Heather Spooner (Woodhaven, MI/Woodhaven HS) saw her first action of the season against Spring Arbor and posted 10 kills.  Spooner missed the Crusaders' season opener on Thursday against Wayne State due to a leg injury.

Jacqui Gatt (Livonia, MI/Churchill HS) again led the Crusaders defensive effort with a total of 43 digs on the day, including 18 against Spring Arbor.

Madonna advances to the championship round after wins over both opponents in their pool.  The Crusaders received the number three seed after pool play and will take on Mount Vernon Nazarene at 9:30 a.m. (ET) on Saturday.

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NOTES:

Saturday's match up between Madonna and Mount Vernon Nazarene will feature the two top active coaches in career wins in the NAIA.  Madonna head coach Jerry Abraham picked up win number 774 tonight in his 20th year at the helm of the Crusaders and he trails MVNU head coach Paul Swanson (782) by ten wins.

Donna Hawkins is the all-time leader in career wins in the NAIA with 797 wins, all coming as the head coach of Georgetown (KY) before retiring following the 2004 season.

 

Contact:
Tony Baldwin, Sports Information Director
(734) 432-5834
tbaldwin@madonna.edu