Yellow Jackets taken down in three sets at Madonna

LIVONIA, Mich. - Defiance College volleyball suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Madonna Crusaders on Friday at Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena. 

Seeking to climb in the conference standings, the Yellow Jackets (8-18, 2-9 WHAC) remain in the 10th and final tournament spot following their loss to the Crusaders (10-12, 5-7 WHAC).

Madonna earned their third straight victory and had one of their strongest hitting performances of the year, closing the match with a .253 hitting percentage for their third-best average on the year. The Yellow Jackets attack was one of their lowest on the year as they were held to single-digit kills in all three sets.

TURNING POINT
Madonna set the tone in the first set with a 10-point run in the first set to take a 10-9 lead to 20-9. The second set had a similar feel after the Crusaders compiled an 11-3 start. While Madonna posted a 13-5 advantage in the third, Defiance clawed back with a late rally to try to extend the match. Trailing 19-8, Defiance caught fire and won 11 of the next 13 points to pull within two. However, Madonna put a stop to the comeback attempt with three straight points to clinch the sweep.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Defiance committed eight errors in each of the first two sets and held their highest hitting percentage in the final set.
• Madonna landed 11 aces, which equated to 11 receive errors by Defiance. The Jackets had a total of 31 errors when combined with miscues on the attack.
• Jamia Murry was the top attacker for Defiance by landing six kills.
• Gabby Rodgriguez took the most swings with 28 total attacks and had five kills along with Chaney Brodbeck.
• Shelby Clements dug out 15 Madonna spikes to lead all players in the game. 

UP NEXT
Defiance plays in Michigan again on Saturday with a 2 p.m. battle against the UM-Dearborn Wolverines at the Fieldhouse Gymnasium.

-JACKETS-