Crusaders Split
Day One at Nationals
Tihomirova Becomes Single Season
Kill Record Holder
Nov.
28, 2007
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Mary McGinnis
posted 19 kills, helping MU to a win in the opening match of the
2007 NAIA National Championships. |
COLUMBIA,
Mo. – The Madonna University volleyball team got their 10th trip to
the NAIA National Championships started on the right foot Wednesday with a 3-2
(27-30, 30-24, 30-27, 28-30, 15-11) win over Mount Vernon Nazarene to open pool
play, before falling to No. 3 Concordia (Calif.) in the nightcap, 3-0.
Lubovj Tihomirova led the way with
47 kills while Mary McGinnis added 29 in the two matches. It was a
historic day for Tihomirova who became the single season kills leader after the
first match, eclipsing the standard set in 1995 by Kelly McCausland.
McCausland posted 893 kills in her all-American season. Heading into play
Thursday, Tihomirova stands at 932.
The victory in match one inched MU hall of fame
head coach Jerry Abraham one step closer to becoming the NAIA leader in coaching
wins. Abraham now trails MVNU's Paul Swanson, by six.
The Crusaders played No. 3 Concordia tough, taking the first game to extra
points, eventually falling 33-31. Game two saw the Eagles roll to a 30-19
win while game three was closer with MU's comeback falling short, 30-26.
The Crusaders struggled to
find an offensive rhythm in the match, hitting just .171 as a team, compared to
.285 for Concordia.
Inta Grinvalds posted 90
assists over the two matches while senior
libero Jacqui Gatt added 52 total
digs, 41 of those in the win over MVNU.
The Crusaders return to
action Thursday when they face Olivet Nazarene
in a 4:45 (ET) match to close pool play.
The Crusaders can secure a
berth out of pool play with a victory.
Live play-by-play coverage
with Patrick Moore beings at 4:40 pm on the
Crusaders Internet Radio Network.
Contact:
Patrick Moore, Sports Information Director
(734) 432-5834
pimoore@madonna.edu
