SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (LourdesAthletics.com) -- The Lourdes University men's volleyball team is headed to the Wolveirne-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament Championship match after knocking off second-seeded Cornerstone University 3-1 in a hard-fought semifinal battle Thursday afternoon inside the Don Ridler Fieldhouse in Southfield, Mich. The Gray Wolves took the match by scores of 25-23, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22 to advance to their first conference title match appearance since 2023.

The Gray Wolves are peaking at the right time, riding a six-match win streak into Saturday's championship match. Lourdes has now won eight of its last ten contests, including six sweeps during that stretch. 

Jaber Badarne led the way offensively for Lourdes with a dominant 25-kill performance—his second straight match with 20 or more kills—while also adding 14 digs and four service aces in a complete all-around effort. Vinicius Lopes chipped in 13 kills and nine digs, while Mitch Hoffman tallied seven kills and a block.

Setter Joey Bianco dished out 42 assists to guide a Lourdes attack that totaled 53 kills on the day, surpassing 2,000 career assists in the process. 

The Gray Wolves hit .201 as a team and out-dug Cornerstone 52-51 behind a match-high 15 digs from libero Brayden Moyars. Ben Palma anchored the front line with five blocks, helping Lourdes limit the Golden Eagles to just .256 hitting efficiency despite a balanced attack.

After trading the first two sets, Lourdes held off Cornerstone in back-to-back tight frames to close out the win. The Gray Wolves hit .279 in the fourth and final set—one of their most efficient stretches of the match—to seal the upset.

Up Next:
With the win, Lourdes (17-9) advances to the WHAC Championship match where they will face top-seeded Lawrence Tech on Saturday, April 19, in Southfield. First serve is set for 6 p.m., with a trip to the NAIA National Championship on the line.