Lourdes University rallied from a 2-1 deficit on the road to defeat ninth-ranked Madonna 25-23, 20-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-9 at the Activities Center in Livonia, Mich. as the Gray Wolves posted their first win over a top-10 program in school history.
 
"This is a huge win for our program," head coach Greg Reitz stated after the win.  "We got a solid team effort on the road against a perennial national power."
 
The win was just the third ever for the Gray Wolves against a top-25 opponent, and the first on the opposition's home floor.  Madonna entered the match having won 18 of its previous 19 contests.
 
Stephanie Richards (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) registered her third straight double-double, leading the Gray Wolves with 15 kills while adding 20 digs.  The sophomore was also in on five of the team's 10 blocks.  Carolyn Manley (Holland, Ohio/Springfield H.S.) added 10 kills as Lourdes spread out its offense.
 
"We've talked all year about how we need to hit more efficiently than the opposition," Reitz added.   "We did that today holding them to .133 while hitting .161 ourselves.  We were consistent throughout the lineup."
 
Michi Jimenez (Vega Baja, P.R./Juan Quirindongo Morell H.S.) tallied 25 digs while Lisa Urbanski (Toledo, Ohio/Notre Dame H.S.) added 15 more as the Gray Wolves played a solid defensive match.
 
"We had three players average more than three digs per set for a five-setter," Reitz stated.  "That's just huge."
 
Lexie Curtis (Toledo, Ohio/Bedford H.S.) handed out 27 assists and added nine digs, just missing a double-double, while Mallory Lenhart (Lambertville, Mich./Bedford H.S.) handed out 18 helpers to go along with 11 digs.
 
"Our setters did a great job distributing the ball," Reitz added.  "That really helped our hitters become efficient."
 
Lourdes started the match pulling out a tight opening set.  There were 12 ties in the first stanza and Madonna held a 19-18 lead late when a 6-1 run to take the lead for good.  Three straight kills put the Gray Wolves on top and Stef Comte's (Toledo, Ohio/Notre Dame H.S.) kill closed the set.
                                                                                                                                                                 
Madonna responded in the second using a 7-0 run late to build a 22-15 advantage.  After Lourdes hit .255 in the opening set, the Crusaders held the Gray Wolves to just .025 hitting while reversing the trend themselves.  Madonna hit .160 in the first followed by .294 in the second.
 
An early 5-0 run by the Crusaders put Madonna ahead 7-3 in the third set, a lead they would not relinquish.  Lourdes closed within two, 20-18 before the hosts scored five of the final six points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Leading 8-7 in the fourth set, Lourdes took control, taking advantage of Madonna mistakes.  The Crusaders committed eight attack errors, hit -.032 for the set, while Lourdes went on several runs.  A 5-0 spurt increased the lead to 13-7 while another 10-2 run broke the set open.
 
In the final set, Lourdes took advantage of more Crusader miscues.  Leading 11-9, Madonna committed three attack errors, and combined with a kill from Manley allowed Lourdes to score the match's final four points to secure the upset victory.  The Gray Wolves also used a strong block over the final three sets.  After being outblocked 6-2 over the first two sets, Lourdes turned the tables, outblocking Madonna 8-1 over the final three.
 
Casey Gates led Madonna (21-4, 9-2 WHAC) with 17 kills and 18 digs while Emily Johnson added 14 kills.  Defensively, Amanda Obrycki tallied 21 digs while Spencer Stokes had 19 digs and 42 assists.
 
"This was a great way for us to wrap up the first half of conference play," Reitz concluded.  "Now we have to refocus and get ready for round two, starting on Wednesday."
 
Lourdes (10-10, 6-5) will travel to Detroit, Mich. on Wednesday evening as the Gray Wolves face Marygrove.  Opening serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Northwest Activities Center.