HAMMOND, Ind.- The Great Midwest Athletic Conference competed in the 14th Annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover this weekend (Oct. 14- 15) at the Hammond Sportsplex. The tournament featured Great Midwest teams competing against institutions from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
Day 1
On day one of competition, the Great Midwest totaled seven wins, respectively. Six different teams finished the day with at least one victory. Overall, schools from the G-MAC combined for a record of 7-14 on the day. The GLVC went 13-8 on Friday and the GLIAC finished 10-8.
Ashland went 2-0 to highlight day one action. The Eagles posted sweeps against UINDY and Michigan Tech. The two wins extended the Eagle’s win-streak to 15 as they continue to receive votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCVA) Division II coaches poll. Libero Katie Thompson led the team in digs at 17 while Great Midwest Athlete of the Week Stephanie Smith followed with 13. Ashland will face Quincy (18-1) in day 2 in the first-place match.
Walsh and Malone each went 1-0. Walsh defeated Saginaw Valley State by a score of 3-1. Sammie DiBease led the Cavaliers with 15 kills on 30 total attacks. For the Pioneers, Athlete of the Week Macy McCauley totaled 26 digs in a 3-1 victory over GLVC member Truman State.
Sitting at third place in the North Division, Northwood went 1-1 with a win over the University of Missouri-St. Louis before falling to Northern Michigan in the final match of the day.
Day 2
Great Midwest schools collected a record of 6-12 on day two of competition to finish with an overall record of 13-26. Ashland’s 15-game win streak was snapped in the championship match on Saturday (Oct. 15) against Quincy University who sits at 19-1 on the year.
The Eagles fell to the Hawks 3-2 in a matchup of two of the top teams in the region. Senior middle blocker Anna Kirkkee had a record-breaking performance, where she shattered the program single-match record for block assists with 11. Other top performers included Erin Krupar with 18 kills while Makenna Belcher added 15. Ashland remains in first place with a 12-0 record in the G-MAC and a 19-6 overall record.
The Trevecca Nazarene Trojans bounced back in day two after falling to Quincy and Wayne State in day one. They improved to 16-8 on the season with a sweep over UINDY. Ellie Buffler led the Trojans with 12 kills and seven service aces, a career-high.
Findlay defeated Grand Valley in their final match of the weekend by a score of 3-1. Journey Blevins led the Oilers with 26 kills while hitting .436. Findlay remains in first place in the North Division.
The Great Midwest will return to conference play on Oct. 18.
All-Tournament Team
Journey Blevins, Findlay
Ellie Buffler, Trevecca Nazarene
Olivia Kirksey, Ohio Dominican
Anna Krikke, Ashland
Erin Krupar, Ashland
Clare Kwiatkowski, Tiffin
Karoline Shelton, Hillsdale
Zoey Peck, Ashland