LIVONIA, Mich. --For the sixth straight season, and the 10^th time in 21 seasons, the Madonna volleyball team will advance to the NAIA National Tournament as the Crusaders captured the NAIA Region VIII championship on Saturday (Nov. 17). MU downed Indiana Wesleyan 3-0 in the finals.

The Crusaders took game one 30-22 using eight kills from Lubovj Tihomirova and six more from Mary McGinnis while making just five errors to dispatch with the Wildcats. 

Game two was much like game one as Tihomirova was on her game again, sending down nine kills while making just one error on 14 swings for MU. The Crusaders were down briefly in the game, but fought back to regain the lead and close the game with just one hitting error and with three block assists in the win.

The final game of the match was the closest as neither side could establish an offensive flow but IWU held a slight edge and had tied the game at 28-28 before the Crusaders used a McGinnis kill and a Wildcat hitting error to put the match away and seal the regional crown.

Tihomirova led the MU attack with 27 kills, while McGinnis followed up her career high 27 kill effort in the first match of the day with 17 kills in the nightcap. Inta Grinvalds handed out 49 assists while Jacqui Gatt posted 13 digs.

The Crusaders will now wait until the NAIA national bracket is released on Monday to see who they will play at the NAIA National Tournament starting on Nov. 28 on the campus of Columbia College in Columbia, Mo.

POST MATCH QUOTES

HEAD COACH JERRY ABRAHAM
On the day as a whole:
“This is a long day, regardless of who you play. You start at 8am and then you wait between games. We opened the day with an interleague match up with Indiana Tech, the fifth time we have played them this year. That team has gotten better and better this year and we knew it was going to be a tough match. The kids knew we needed to be resilient and they were. Being 28-28 in game three they showed that and the results speak for themselves.”

On Mary McGinnis’ play as of late
“Mary has been one of our most valuable players as of late and she has been getting better and better as the season went on. She was playing a little too finesse wise early and it’s taken most of the season to get comfortable with the setter, a new system and new teammates. Offensively she was our most valuable player of today. She had so many clutch shots and she responded the best when the chips were down and the game was on the line.”

SIDE NOTE – McGinnis had a career best 24 kills in match one and has 17 more in the second match of the day.

On his team’s 10^th trip to nationals and the sixth straight trip:
“I wanted this team to go to nationals so bad. Every year it seems to get tougher and tougher. I think we had a little bit of a rough start, but we have meshed into a strong unit. We are hitting better, passing better and serving better. We might have set this up by playing one of our most difficult schedules ever, we did that intentionally. I wanted this group that has worked so hard to experience this opportunity. We want to make a good showing. All I am going to do is ask them to play their hearts out and if we do that I am excited about our chances.”

SENIOR LIBERO JACQUI GATT
On her fourth trip to nationals and what it means to her
“I was nervous earlier this year that we weren’t going to get there after we had a few slip-ups. To finish out my career going to nationals means so much to me.”

What was going through her head as the match was 1-1 with Indiana Tech earlier in the day
“We knew that they were going to come out strong and we have played them three times in the last three weeks. Things could have gone either way in that match. We went five with them last week in the WHAC tournament and each game was with-in two points so it is always a battle with them.”

On being named WHAC and Region VIII Libero of the Year
“I didn’t really think about it. I just went out there and tried to play. It means a lot to get the awards, but I’m happier that we are going to nationals.”