AURORA, Ill. - The 10th annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover kicked off at the Great Lakes Center on Friday and featured nine Great Midwest Athletic Conference schools in the two-day event.
The Great Midwest was able to go 6-8 on Friday. The Great Lakes Valley Conference had an impressive showing with a 16-7 record between all of its matches and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference was 6-13 featuring its member institutions.
The top five seeds each played two contests on Friday and will play their last matches on Saturday, with the other four programs having two remaining matches each.
The first session of the second day will feature Kentucky Wesleyan vs. Quincy, Davis & Elkins vs. Northwood, Ohio Valley against Truman State, and Ohio Dominican taking on William Jewell.
Saturday’s competition gets underway at 10 a.m. CT. The all-tournament team, selected by the sports information directors statting the 54 matches, will be announced after the conclusion on the event’s official page.
Session One
Five Great Midwest teams competed in the first of three sessions at 11:30 a.m. CT with a strong showing from a 4-1 record.
The top-seeded Great Midwest school Findlay fell in straight sets to the GLVC top seed and No. 1 nationally-ranked Lewis. G-MAC No. 2 seed Hillsdale started what would be a perfect day by taking down the GLIAC’s top seed and No. 13 nationally-ranked Ferris State in four sets.
Walsh entered the tournament as the Great Midwest’s third seed and the Cavaliers were able to knock off the GLIAC’s seventh seed, Davenport, 3-1.
Cedarville also had success against its opponent, University of Wisconsin Parkside (GLVC) in straight sets. Lake Erie was able to topple UIndy over on Court 9 in four sets as the Storm head into the second half of the league schedule hunting for an East Division title.
Session Two
Four Great Midwest teams made their tourney debut with Kentucky Wesleyan, Davis & Elkins, Ohio Dominican, and Ohio Valley, all on the floor. The G-MAC was a combined 1-3 record in those four contests.
Kentucky Wesleyan kept it close on Court 1 against Ashland but ultimately fell in five sets. Davis & Elkins suffered the same outcome against Missouri-St. Louis and Ohio Dominican also fell to a GLVC program, Missouri S&T.
Ohio Valley won in five sets against Maryville as the Fighting Scots picked up their seventh win of the season.
Session Three
The five teams that played in Session One also took the courts in Session Three. Findlay, Hillsdale, Walsh, Cedarville, and Lake Erie each played their second games of the tourney.
Hillsdale went up against future Great Midwest member Tiffin and beat the Dragons in four sets to remain at 2-0 in the tournament.
A pair of tough five-set setbacks resulted from Findlay and Cedarville going down to the wire against Wisconsin-Parkside and McKendree, both GLVC schools.
Walsh was downed by Northern Michigan (GLIAC) and Lake Erie fell in four games to Illinois Springfield (GLVC).