Malone University Athletics

HAMMOND, Ind. - The Malone University volleyball team came up short in their first two matches of the Midwest Region Crossover on Friday. The Pioneers (4-16) dropped games to William Jewell College (4-15) and McKendree University (4-16).
 
MALONE vs WILLIAM JEWELL RECAP:
The Pioneers looked to juniors Emma Weirich and Marissa Smith throughout set one for offense, but the team could not come up with the win. The duo had three kills each, but just two attack errors from the Cardinals and a 70% sideout percentage fueled the 25-17 win.
 
The look was different in set two with Helaina Edgar targeting Jaymes Gilbert and Kassidy Gorsuch with efficiency, but the result was the same with William Jewell on top. Gilbert and Gorsuch had three kills each in the set and Edgar dished out 9-of-13 assists. 19 kills for the Cardinals helped to make it a 2-0 game after the 25-20 set two victory.
 
William Jewell took control early in set three and claimed the match with a wire-to-wire 25-19 set three win. Brianne Salinas had a pair of kills in the midst of a 5-0 run late, but it was not enough to dig themselves out of the hole they had created.
 
An 11-2 advantage on aces for the Cardinals gave the opponents extra points in each set. Defensively, Malone had seven blocks and just missed the lead in digs, 39-38. Jaclyn Jundzilo and Ella Kresak had nine digs each.
 
MALONE vs McKENDREE RECAP:
The Pioneers were able to rebound well in set one with a 25-23 victory in set one of the second match of the day. The defense for Malone had 17 digs compared to the Bearcats' 12 and the extra possessions gave the Pioneers more scoring opportunities. The libero Kresak had eight in the first set and finished with a career-high 24.
 
Smith and Gorsuch combined for eight of the team's 12 kills in set two, but Malone was unable to come away with the win, 25-23. The lead changed hands six times and the score was tied ten times, but McKendree was able to sneak away with the win with 15 kills.
 
Both sides were scoring in bulk in set three, but the Bearcats claimed a 2-1 lead with a 25-21 win. The opponents scored the final four points after the score was tied at 21-21. Malone was effective on offense with a .375 hitting percentage, but seven aces for McKendree was too much to overcome. The fourth set was the most lopsided of the match as the Bearcats pulled away for the set win 25-16 and the match victory.
 
The Pioneers had an advantage in offensive efficiency with a season-high .271 hitting percentage, but allowed 18 aces on the other side of the ball. Smith was the lone student-athlete with double-figure kill numbers at 11. Kelsey Williams distributed 20 assists.  
 
UP NEXT:
The Midwest Region Crossover concludes for Malone volleyball with a matchup against Lake Superior State University of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC). First serve is set for 9:00 A.M. CST on Saturday, October 17.