HAMMOND, Indiana -- The Malone University volleyball program stepped out of conference play this weekend to participate in the annual Midwest Region Crossover Tournament. 

The Crossover Tournament is designed to give teams an opportunity to play against regional competition to enhance their season resume for the national committee during the NCAA Championship selection process.

Between Friday and Saturday, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference came together to play 58 matches between 38 different teams on 10 different courts at the Hammond Sportsplex.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
Friday vs. Lake Superior State University | W 3-1 |  Box Score
After dropping the opening set 25-19, Malone rallied back to win the next three sets in a row to open up the tournament with a win. 

The Pioneers took set two 25-17, but the result of the final two sets was in question down to the very last point. 

Trailing 23-19 in set three MU rattled off six of the next seven points to tie the set at 25-25. 

The Pioneers then got back-to-back kills from Anna Mallette and Sara Ice to score the 27-25 set win. 

The fourth set went even longer. 

After LSSU tied the set at 24-24 on a MU service error, the two teams traded the next 11 points back and forth to give the Lakers a 30-29 lead. 

The Pioneers came through with three unanswered points on a Kristen Hankins kill and back-to-back LSSU errors to pick up the 32-30 win. 

Saturday vs. McKendree University | L 1-3 | Box Score
Saturday morning's match, unfortunately for Malone, was a flip of the script. 

This time around the Pioneers won set one, and McKendree went on to win the next three in a row to pick up the 3-1 win. 

It was tightly contested however, especially the fourth set. 

The Pioneers tied the set at 22-22 on a McKendree ball handling error. The next eight points were traded back-and-forth before Ri'Gyn Humes put down a kill to give MU a 27-26 lead. 

Unfortunately the Bearcats won four out of the final five points of the set to close out the match with a 30-28 win. 

Saturday vs. Drury University | L 0-3 | Box Score
The Pioneers closed out the tournament with a Saturday evening matchup with Drury University out of the GLVC.

Unfortunately the Panthers were able to cruise to a 3-0 win by final set scores of 25-17, 25-15, and 25-13. 


PIONEER POINTS

• Anna Mallette led the Pioneers with 30 kills on the weekend. She put down 15 kills Saturday morning against McKendree, and tied Kristen Hankins with a team-high 12 kills in Friday's win over Lake Superior State. 
• Macy McCauley led Malone's defensive backline with 62 digs on the weekend. She came up with 27 against McKendree. 
• Kristen Hankins put down 15.0 total blocks, including two block solos against LSSU and eight block assists against McKendree. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Malone jumps back into G-MAC play this weekend as the Pioneers enter the homestretch of the 2021 season. MU travels to Kentucky Wesleyan College on Friday night, and Trevecca Nazarene University on Saturday afternoon.