SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Corban University volleyball team may not have been favored against the No. 10-ranked Lourdes University (Ohio) Gray Wolves, but the No. 23-ranked Warriors came from behind in Tuesday's pool play match, defeating Lourdes in four sets (23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22). For Corban, the win was its first ever in its inaugural appearance at the NAIA Volleyball Championship Final Site.
"I am so proud of how the team fought tonight," said Corban head coach Kim McLain. "We started off slow in the first set and had too many unforced errors. As the match went on, we were able to eliminate our errors and make better choices offensively."
In the other match of the group, Morningside College (Iowa) defeated Park University (Mo.) in a five-set thriller, setting up a huge matchup tomorrow with Corban against the top-seeded Park squad at 5 p.m. CST.
In the first-set defeat against the Gray Wolves, Corban staved off multiple set points and pulled to within one point before making and error to give Lourdes the first set.
The Warriors bounced back in a big way in set number two, however, leveling the score at one set apiece. Riding the momentum, Corban piled it on in set number three with a six-point victory, and then in set number four, the Warriors came from behind to claim the set and the match.
For Corban and Lourdes, it was the first time the two sides had ever met on the court, and the Warriors got the better of the Gray Wolves in this first-ever matchup, winning many key statistical areas. One area that proved vital was at the net, as Corban racked up 14 blocks to just four for Lourdes, while the Navy and Gold also tallied seven aces to just two for the Gray Wolves.
Individually, Amber Parker led the way for the Warriors with 16 kills, while Marandah Boeder tallied 11. In addition, Adriana Aguayo chipped in nine kills to support the Warrior attack. As a team, Corban hit for just a .162 mark in the win, but held Lourdes to a .152 hitting percentage, proving to be the difference.
Defensively, Haley Wells racked up 23 digs in the victory, while Kasey Calderon and Parker both totaled 13 digs. In addition, rookie Lauren Condon had a great match, chipping in 12 digs for the Navy and Gold. Moreover, Madison McLain finished the match with 43 assists to lead the way for Corban.
At the net, Alaina Gentili was an absolute force, totaling eight blocks, while Bethany Filipenko and Boeder each added five blocks to stifle the Gray Wolves attack.
The Warriors (24-6) once again return to the court tomorrow to take on the top seed in the group, Park University (Mo.), at 5 p.m. CST. Live stats and live video will be available here.
Become a fan of Corban Athletics on Facebook
Follow Corban Athletics on Twitter @CorbanAthletics
Follow Corban Athletics on Instagram: corbanathletics
Follow Corban Athletics on Snapchat: corbanathletics
Watch Corban Warrior videos on Youtube: CorbanUAthletics
Sign up for our Corban Warriors email Newsletter
#WarriorNation
