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Sixth-ranked Lourdes saw its best season in program history come to an abrupt end on Saturday evening as the Gray Wolves were upset by Cardinal Stritch 25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 25-23 in the championship match of the Great Lakes Conference tournament at Presidents Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio.
 
"We didn't play at the level we needed to play to win that match," head coach Greg Reitz said after the contest.  "It's disappointing.   You have to give Cardinal Stritch credit.  They really played well and at a high level.  We had a good season, but it seems you never remember that.  You just remember that last match."
 
In the opening set which featured 13 ties, Lourdes rallied from 13-12 down to build a 20-18 lead.  The Wolves answered, tying the set at 22, and then again at 23 before a kill and attack error ended the stanza.
 
Cardinal Stritch went on a 10-4 run midway through the second to take an 18-12 lead on the way to building a 2-0 lead in the match.  The Wolves hit .407 in the set while holding Lourdes to a .030 mark.
 
Lourdes battled back in the third to extend the match.  Trailing 17-15, the Gray Wolves scored 10 of the final 12 points to force the fourth set.
 
The fourth was tight throughout, but the Gray Wolves never led.  There were four ties, but Lourdes trailed by one to two points most of the way.  The Gray Wolves pulled to within 24-23 before Connor O'Ryan's 11^th kill of the match clinched it.
 
Frank Craig (Jacksonville, Fla./Englewood H.S.) tallied 22 kills and hit .341 for the Gray Wolves while Jo'Lon Clark (Compton, Calif./Long Beach Poly H.S.) added 18 kills.  Garrett Jones (Las Vegas, Nev./Las Vegas H.S.) added 13 kills while hitting .524 off of the bench.
 
Brad Miller (Convoy, Ohio/Crestview H.) registered a match-high 20 digs for the Gray Wolves.
 
Craig and Miller were both named to the GLC All-Tournament Team for their efforts on the weekend.
 
Scott Fabian, also an All-Tournament Team selection, led Cardinal Stritch (21-11) with 14 kills, hitting .345, while adding 13 digs.  Joe Duda, the tournament Most Valuable Player, added 12 digs.
 
Lourdes season comes to a close with a 20-9 mark, as the Gray Wolves set a school record for victories in a campaign.  Cardinal Stritch will represent the GLC in the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Invitational.