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Pioneers Split Pair Of Matches To Open Malone Invitational

The Malone University volleyball team, led by 11th-year head coach Tanya Hockman, opened its 2009 season on Friday at Osborne Hall by splitting a pair of contests during day one of the Malone University Invitational.  The Pioneers began the afternoon by dropping a hard-fought match by a final score of 3-2 to NAIA #25 Campbellsville (KY) University.  The squad was then able to bounce back with a 3-0 straight-set victory over Indiana University Northwest later in the evening.

Campbellsville pulled out the five-set victory by final scores of 25-10, 16-25, 23-25, 29-27, 15-8 in the day’s opening contest.  Malone (1-1 overall) was led by senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.), who registered 14 kills and three solo blocks.  Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) added nine kills and 12 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched six kills, 12 digs and six blocks while sophomore right-side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) chipped in with six service aces.

Malone was quickly able to rebound from the close defeat, though, as it rolled to a 25-13, 25-17, 25-20 triumph over the Red Hawks.  Gann, Beiting and junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) each posted seven kills apiece to lead a balanced Pioneer attack.  Beiting also tallied a team-high nine digs with Schoolcraft adding five blocks.

The Malone Invitational continues Saturday with a full slate of volleyball action.  The Pioneers are scheduled to take on Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College at noon before closing out the day with a 4:00 p.m. match against Goshen (IN) College.

Click here for a complete list of Friday's results and a schedule for Saturday.

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Pioneers Split Pair Of Matches To Open Malone Invitational

The Malone University volleyball team, led by 11th-year head coach Tanya Hockman, opened its 2009 season on Friday at Osborne Hall by splitting a pair of contests during day one of the Malone University Invitational.  The Pioneers began the afternoon by dropping a hard-fought match by a final score of 3-2 to NAIA #25 Campbellsville (KY) University.  The squad was then able to bounce back with a 3-0 straight-set victory over Indiana University Northwest later in the evening.

Campbellsville pulled out the five-set victory by final scores of 25-10, 16-25, 23-25, 29-27, 15-8 in the day’s opening contest.  Malone (1-1 overall) was led by senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.), who registered 14 kills and three solo blocks.  Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) added nine kills and 12 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched six kills, 12 digs and six blocks while sophomore right-side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) chipped in with six service aces.

Malone was quickly able to rebound from the close defeat, though, as it rolled to a 25-13, 25-17, 25-20 triumph over the Red Hawks.  Gann, Beiting and junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) each posted seven kills apiece to lead a balanced Pioneer attack.  Beiting also tallied a team-high nine digs with Schoolcraft adding five blocks.

The Malone Invitational continues Saturday with a full slate of volleyball action.  The Pioneers are scheduled to take on Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College at noon before closing out the day with a 4:00 p.m. match against Goshen (IN) College.

Click here for a complete list of Friday's results and a schedule for Saturday.

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Malone Wraps Up Its Invitational With Victories Over Roberts Wesleyan and Goshen

The Malone University volleyball team concluded at its own Malone University Invitational on Saturday by registering wins of 3-1 over Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College and 3-2 over Goshen (IN) College.  The Pioneers’ overall record now stands at 3-1 on the young season following Saturday’s action at Osborne Hall.

Malone opened the day with a 25-8, 17-25, 25-21, 25-21 triumph over fellow American Mideast Conference member Roberts Wesleyan (although Saturday’s contest did not count as a conference match as the two squads will square off again later in the season).  Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted a team-high 13 kills to go with 14 digs.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) tallied 11 kills, 20 digs and six service aces.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched eight kills and three total blocks while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) dished out 31 assists.

In the final match of the weekend, the Pioneers fell behind Goshen two sets to none before rallying to win the final three sets and claim the match by a narrow 21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-13 final.  Beiting, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) and Schoolcraft all reached double figures in the kill column as the trio totaled 15, 14, and 11 kills respectively.  Other contributors in the thrilling five-set victory included Ickes with 23 digs, senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) with 30 assists and 15 digs, junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 18 digs.

In recognition of her strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes was one of seven athletes named to the Malone Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday (September 2^nd) when they travel to Alliance, Ohio to face NCAA Division III Mt. Union College in a 7:00 p.m. match.

Click here for a complete listing of Malone Invitational results

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Malone Wraps Up Its Invitational With Victories Over Roberts Wesleyan and Goshen

The Malone University volleyball team concluded at its own Malone University Invitational on Saturday by registering wins of 3-1 over Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College and 3-2 over Goshen (IN) College.  The Pioneers’ overall record now stands at 3-1 on the young season following Saturday’s action at Osborne Hall.

Malone opened the day with a 25-8, 17-25, 25-21, 25-21 triumph over fellow American Mideast Conference member Roberts Wesleyan (although Saturday’s contest did not count as a conference match as the two squads will square off again later in the season).  Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted a team-high 13 kills to go with 14 digs.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) tallied 11 kills, 20 digs and six service aces.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched eight kills and three total blocks while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) dished out 31 assists.

In the final match of the weekend, the Pioneers fell behind Goshen two sets to none before rallying to win the final three sets and claim the match by a narrow 21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-13 final.  Beiting, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) and Schoolcraft all reached double figures in the kill column as the trio totaled 15, 14, and 11 kills respectively.  Other contributors in the thrilling five-set victory included Ickes with 23 digs, senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) with 30 assists and 15 digs, junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 18 digs.

In recognition of her strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes was one of seven athletes named to the Malone Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday (September 2^nd) when they travel to Alliance, Ohio to face NCAA Division III Mt. Union College in a 7:00 p.m. match.

Click here for a complete listing of Malone Invitational results.

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Pioneers Drop 3-1 Decision On the Road To Mt. Union

The Malone University volleyball team saw its three-match winning streak come to a close on Tuesday night in Alliance, Ohio as the squad fell to NCAA Division III Mt. Union College by a final tally of 3-1.  After losing the first set of the evening 22-25, the Pioneers fought back to even the match with a 26-24 triumph in set number two.  However, the Purple Raiders were then able to put the contest away after winning the final two frames by nearly identical scores of 15-25 and 16-25.  Following the non-conference defeat, Malone’s record dropped to 3-2 while Mt. Union improved to 1-0 with their season-opening victory.

Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack on Tuesday with nine kills and four solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.), junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Fort Thomas, KY), and senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) each added six kills apiece.  In addition to their offensive numbers, Ickes and Beiting also helped out defensively as the duo racked up 21 and 16 digs, respectively.  Other Malone contributors included sophomore right-side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) with five kills, 14 digs and two service aces and senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) with 17 assists.

The Pioneers will now be idle until next week when they travel to Painesville, Ohio on Wednesday (September 9^th) to square off with NCAA Division II Lake Erie College in a 7:00 p.m. match.

 

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Pioneers Pick Up 3-0 Victory Against NCAA Division II Lake Erie

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Painesville, Ohio on Wednesday night where they registered a 3-0 victory against NCAA Division II Lake Erie College.  The Pioneers won the first set by a narrow margin of 25-23 before pulling away in sets two and three, claiming the frames by final tallies of 25-15 and 25-17.  Malone improved to 4-2 with the non-conference triumph while the Storm fell to 6-5.

Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) paced the Pioneers in Wednesday’s match with seven kills, 11 digs and two service aces.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) followed with six kills and five total blocks (two solo).  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.), who missed the first five matches of the year due to injury, made immediate contributions in her return to the lineup as she totaled five kills and eight digs.

Malone will next travel  to Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana over the weekend to compete in four matches at the PPG Sports Wildcat Classic.  The Pioneers will open play at the event on Friday at noon against West Virginia Tech before facing the tournament’s host, Indiana Wesleyan, at 6:00 p.m.  On Saturday, Malone will take on the University of Saint Francis (IL) at 2:00 p.m. and will then wrap up the weekend with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Goshen (IN) College.

 

 

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Malone Begins Play At Indiana Wesleyan Tournament With 3-0 Victory Over Michigan-Dearborn

The Malone University volleyball team opened play at Indiana Wesleyan University’s PPG Sports Wildcat Classic on Friday afternoon with a three sets to none win against the University of Michigan-Dearborn.  In the first of its four weekend matches at the event, the Pioneers picked up the non-conference, straight-set triumph by final scores of 25-18, 25-19, and 25-15.  Malone improved its overall record to 5-2 with the victory while Michigan-Dearborn dropped to 2-7.

Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) tallied a team-best nine kills in the match to go with ten digs.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) followed with eight kills and eight digs while senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) posted seven kills and two blocks (one solo).  Other Malone contributors included senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with a team-high 13 digs, senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) with 25 assists and seven digs, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with five blocks (two solo) and junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces.

The Pioneers return to action on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. when they are set to face off with tourney host, Indiana Wesleyan. On Saturday, Malone will take on the University of Saint Francis (IL) at 2:00 p.m. and will then wrap up the weekend with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Goshen (IN) College.

 

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Pioneers Wrap Up Day One Of Wildcat Classic With 3-1 Victory Against Host Indiana Wesleyan

After having defeated the University of Michigan-Dearborn earlier in the day, the Malone University volleyball team concluded play on Friday at the PPG Sports Wildcat Classic with a 3-1 win over the tournament’s host, Indiana Wesleyan University.  The Pioneers dropped the first set of the match 18-25, but then took the next three frames by scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-20 to notch their second victory of the day.  Malone’s overall record improved to 6-2 with the triumph while IWU fell to 2-7.

Junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) and junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack with 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their kill totals, Beiting also contributed 24 digs and five assists while Gahagan scooped up 18 digs.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) followed with 10 kills and 19 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) added five kills and six blocks (three solo) while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) posted 31 assists.

The Pioneers continue play at the Indiana Wesleyan tourney on Saturday with two more matches.  Malone will take on the University of Saint Francis (IL) at 2:00 p.m. and will then wrap up the weekend with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Goshen (IN) College.

 

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Malone Records Victories Over St. Francis and Goshen On Day Two Of Indiana Wesleyan Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team picked up two more wins Saturday on day two of the PPG Sports Wildcat Classic hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University.  The Pioneers opened the afternoon with a 24-26, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 victory over the University of Saint Francis (IL) and then defeated Goshen (IN) College later in the day by final scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-20.  With the two wins on Saturday, Malone wrapped up a perfect 4-0 weekend at the event, improving its overall record to 8-2 on the season.

Against Saint Francis, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied a team-high 15 kills to go with 15 digs, two solo blocks and three service aces.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) each followed with 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their kill totals, the duo also contributed 13 and 21 digs, respectively.  Senior middle hitters Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) both tallied eight kills in the match while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) notched 46 assists and 14 digs.

In Saturday’s finale with Goshen, Gahagan once again led the way with 14 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with 10 kills and four solo blocks, Beiting posted seven kills and 13 digs while Ickes posted six kills and 13 digs.  Other contributors included Gann with six kills, Schwamberger with 23 assists and sophomore right-side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) with three service aces.

The Pioneers (8-2 overall) will return to action on Tuesday as they host local rival Walsh University (7-1 overall) in a 7:00 p.m. match.

 

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Malone Records Victories Over St. Francis and Goshen On Day Two Of Indiana Wesleyan Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team picked up two more wins Saturday on day two of the PPG Sports Wildcat Classic hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University.  The Pioneers opened the afternoon with a 24-26, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 victory over the University of Saint Francis (IL) and then defeated Goshen (IN) College later in the day by final scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-20.  With the two wins on Saturday, Malone wrapped up a perfect 4-0 weekend at the event, improving its overall record to 8-2 on the season.

Against Saint Francis, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied a team-high 15 kills to go with 15 digs, two solo blocks and three service aces.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and junior right-side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) each followed with 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their kill totals, the duo also contributed 13 and 21 digs, respectively.  Senior middle hitters Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) both tallied eight kills in the match while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) notched 46 assists and 14 digs.

In Saturday’s finale with Goshen, Gahagan once again led the way with 14 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with 10 kills and four solo blocks, Beiting posted seven kills and 13 digs while Ickes posted six kills and 13 digs.  Other contributors included Gann with six kills, Schwamberger with 23 assists and sophomore right-side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) with three service aces.

The Pioneers (8-2 overall) will return to action on Tuesday as they host local rival Walsh University (7-1 overall) in a 7:00 p.m. match.

 

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Pioneers Drop Closely-Contested Match To Walsh

The Malone University volleyball team lost a hard-fought match at home on Tuesday night to local rival Walsh University by a final tally of three sets to one.  The Pioneers won the first set of the night 25-18 before the Cavaliers managed to pull out each of the next three frames by narrow margins of 23-25, 23-25 and 26-28.  Malone’s overall record dropped to 8-3 following the defeat while Walsh improved to 8-1 (Although both teams are members of the American Mideast Conference, Tuesday’s match did not count towards the conference standings as the squads are scheduled to square off again later in the season).

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) posted a team-high 11 kills to go with 18 digs and two service aces.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes followed with 10 kills and 19 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) added seven kills and three solo blocks while fellow senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) notched seven kills and one solo block.  Other contributors in the match included junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with six kills and 13 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 21 assists and two solo blocks.

After squaring off against each other on the court Tuesday, Malone and Walsh will now team up over the weekend to co-host the Canton Comfort Inn Invitational.  The event gets underway on Friday at 5:00 p.m. with multiple matches being contested at each campus.  Both institutions will be collecting canned goods at the door for the Akron-Canton Food Bank and $1.00 will be taken off the admission price for every two cans of food donated.

Click here to view a full Canton Comfort Inn Invitational schedule.

 

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Malone Registers Pair Of Wins On Day One Of Canton Comfort Inn Invitational

The Malone University volleyball team opened the Canton Comfort Inn Invitational on Friday evening at Osborne Hall by picking up 3-1 victories in both of its matches.  The Pioneers, who are co-hosting the two-day weekend tournament with Walsh University, began the night with a 25-18, 25-19, 26-28, 25-18 triumph against Grace (IN) College and then claimed the nightcap over Cornerstone (MI) University by final scores of 26-24, 25-23, 20-25, and 25-23.  With the 2-0 evening, Malone’s record improved to 10-3 overall.

Against Grace, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) smashed a team-high 21 kills to go with 10 digs and three blocks (one solo).  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) each followed with 10 kills apiece.  In addition to their strong kill totals, Ickes also notched 12 digs while Schoolcraft posted two solo blocks.  Other Pioneer contributors included freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 37 assists, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with eight kills and three blocks (one solo), and junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with seven kills and nine digs.

Against Cornerstone, Gahagan once again led the way with 17 kills and 15 digs.  Schoolcraft tallied 13 kills and two solo blocks while Schwamberger dished out 45 assists, scooped up 20 digs and served two aces.  Gann recorded 10 kills and five blocks (four solo) with Ickes posting 10 kills and 14 digs.

Malone resumes Canton Comfort Inn Invitational play on Saturday with two more matches.  The Pioneers will take on former American Mideast Conference member Ohio Dominican University at 10:00 a.m. at Osborne Hall before travelling across town to Walsh where they will play a neutral contest at 3:00 p.m. against Spring Arbor (MI) University.

Click here to view all of Friday's results and a complete Canton Comfort Inn Invitational schedule.

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Malone Registers Pair Of Wins On Day One Of Canton Comfort Inn Invitational

The Malone University volleyball team opened the Canton Comfort Inn Invitational on Friday evening at Osborne Hall by picking up 3-1 victories in both of its matches.  The Pioneers, who are co-hosting the two-day weekend tournament with Walsh University, began the night with a 25-18, 25-19, 26-28, 25-18 triumph against Grace (IN) College and then claimed the nightcap over Cornerstone (MI) University by final scores of 26-24, 25-23, 20-25, and 25-23.  With the 2-0 evening, Malone’s record improved to 10-3 overall.

Against Grace, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) smashed a team-high 21 kills to go with 10 digs and three blocks (one solo).  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) each followed with 10 kills apiece.  In addition to their strong kill totals, Ickes also notched 12 digs while Schoolcraft posted two solo blocks.  Other Pioneer contributors included freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 37 assists, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with eight kills and three blocks (one solo), and junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with seven kills and nine digs.

Against Cornerstone, Gahagan once again led the way with 17 kills and 15 digs.  Schoolcraft tallied 13 kills and two solo blocks while Schwamberger dished out 45 assists, scooped up 20 digs and served two aces.  Gann recorded 10 kills and five blocks (four solo) with Ickes posting 10 kills and 14 digs.

Malone resumes Canton Comfort Inn Invitational play on Saturday with two more matches.  The Pioneers will take on former American Mideast Conference member Ohio Dominican University at 10:00 a.m. at Osborne Hall before travelling across town to Walsh where they will play a neutral contest at 3:00 p.m. against Spring Arbor (MI) University.

Click here to view all of Friday's results and a complete Canton Comfort Inn Invitational schedule.

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Pioneers Wrap Up Canton Comfort Inn Invitational With Victories Against Ohio Dominican, Spring Arbor

The Malone University volleyball team concluded a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Canton Comfort Inn Invitational on Saturday afternoon by tallying wins over Ohio Dominican University and Spring Arbor (MI) University.  The Pioneers, who partnered with Walsh University to co-host the weekend event , began the day with a straight-set 25-23, 25-16, 25-19 triumph against ODU.  The squad then headed across town to Walsh’s campus where it wrapped up its week with a hard-fought 25-11, 18-25, 15-25, 25-18, 15-10 victory in a neutral contest with Spring Arbor.   Following the pair of wins, Malone’s overall record now stands at 12-3.

Against Ohio Dominican, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) posted a team-high ten kills to go with eight digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) followed with eight kills and three blocks (two solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) each notched seven kills apiece with Schoolcraft also totaling six blocks (five solo) and Ickes adding 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Also making significant contributions for the Pioneers were freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 28 assists, two service aces and 16 digs and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 13 digs.

Against Spring Arbor, Gahagan again led the way with 12 kills, 15 digs and four total blocks (one solo) while Gann and Schoolcraft each notched 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their impressive kill totals, the senior middle hitter duo also made a significant defensive impact in the match as Gann posted three total blocks (two solo) and Schoolcraft registered seven (five solo).   Ickes smashed eight kills and scooped up 17 digs, Schwamberger dished out 25 assists while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) chipped in with seven kills, seven assists, 19 digs and two blocks (one solo).

The Pioneers, who have now won nine out of their last ten matches, will return to action on Tuesday evening when they open American Mideast Conference play at home with a 7:00 p.m. match against Ursuline College.

Click here to view a complete listing of Canton Comfort Inn Invitational results.

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Pioneers Wrap Up Canton Comfort Inn Invitational With Victories Against Ohio Dominican, Spring Arbor

The Malone University volleyball team concluded a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Canton Comfort Inn Invitational on Saturday afternoon by tallying wins over Ohio Dominican University and Spring Arbor (MI) University.  The Pioneers, who partnered with Walsh University to co-host the weekend event , began the day with a straight-set 25-23, 25-16, 25-19 triumph against ODU.  The squad then headed across town to Walsh’s campus where it wrapped up its week with a hard-fought 25-11, 18-25, 15-25, 25-18, 15-10 victory in a neutral contest with Spring Arbor.   Following the pair of wins, Malone’s overall record now stands at 12-3.

Against Ohio Dominican, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) posted a team-high ten kills to go with eight digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) followed with eight kills and three blocks (two solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) each notched seven kills apiece with Schoolcraft also totaling six blocks (five solo) and Ickes adding 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Also making significant contributions for the Pioneers were freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 28 assists, two service aces and 16 digs and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 13 digs.

Against Spring Arbor, Gahagan again led the way with 12 kills, 15 digs and four total blocks (one solo) while Gann and Schoolcraft each notched 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their impressive kill totals, the senior middle hitter duo also made a significant defensive impact in the match as Gann posted three total blocks (two solo) and Schoolcraft registered seven (five solo).   Ickes smashed eight kills and scooped up 17 digs, Schwamberger dished out 25 assists while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) chipped in with seven kills, seven assists, 19 digs and two blocks (one solo).

The Pioneers, who have now won nine out of their last ten matches, will return to action on Tuesday evening when they open American Mideast Conference play at home with a 7:00 p.m. match against Ursuline College.

Click here to view a complete listing of Canton Comfort Inn Invitational results.

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Malone Opens Conference Play With 3-0 Triumph Over Ursuline

The Malone University volleyball team began American Mideast Conference play at home on Tuesday night with a 25-17, 25-12, 25-15 victory against Ursuline College.  The Pioneers’ record improved to 13-3 overall and 1-0 in the AMC with the win while the Arrows dropped to 6-15 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) each posted a team-high nine kills in the straight-set victory.  In addition to their strong attack totals, the duo also contributed defensively as Schoolcraft added a solo block and Beiting contributed 10 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) notched eight kills while sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) registered seven kills, three service aces and 11 digs.  Other significant contributors for Malone included senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with four service aces and 15 digs and senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) with 38 assists.

The Pioneers, winners of 10 of their last 11 contests, will return to action on Friday evening with a 7:00 p.m. match at Houghton (NY) College.

 

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Pioneers Tally 3-1 Conference Victory At Houghton

The Malone University volleyball team began a weekend trip to the state of New York on Friday with a 3-1 American Mideast Conference victory at Houghton (NY) College.  The Pioneers claimed the first two sets of the night by identical scores of 25-14.  The Highlanders fought back to take the third set 25-17 before Malone secured the win with a 25-20 triumph in the fourth set.  The Pioneers’ record improved to 14-3 overall and 2-0 in the AMC with the victory while Houghton dropped to 5-8 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) notched a team-high 17 kills in the match to go with 12 digs and two blocks (both assists).  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) added 10 kills and 13 digs while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) and senior middle hitters Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) and Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) each posted six kills apiece.  Other Malone contributors included senior libero Julie Finely (Western Reserve H.S.) with 18 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 35 assists.

The Pioneers, winners of 11 of their last 12 matches, continue play in New York on Saturday as they travel to Rochester to face AMC foe Roberts Wesleyan College in a 12:00 p.m. contest.

 

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Malone Tops Roberts Wesleyan 3-1 To Record Seventh Straight Victory

The Malone University volleyball team wrapped up its weekend trip to the state of New York on Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 American Mideast Conference win at Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College.  The Pioneers, who had also registered a 3-1 triumph at Houghton (NY) College on Friday evening, completed an undefeated weekend with Saturday’s 25-17, 25-10, 22-25, 25-16 victory over the Raiders.  With its seventh consecutive win, Malone improved its record to 15-3 overall and 3-0 in the AMC.  Roberts Wesleyan, meanwhile, fell to 11-8 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack on Saturday with 19 kills, two service aces, 13 digs, and two blocks (one solo).  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) followed with 11 kills, eight digs, and three blocks (all assists) while junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) notched eight kills, three service aces and 28 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) also registered eight kills with three blocks (all assists).  Others making significant contributions included freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 44 assists and 14 digs and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 13 digs.

Malone, which has now won 12 out of its last 13 contests, will return to action on Tuesday with a 7:00 p.m. American Mideast Conference match at home against the University of Northwestern Ohio.

 

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Pioneers Remain Undefeated In Conference Play With 3-1 Victory Over Northwestern Ohio

The Malone University volleyball team stretched its current winning streak to eight matches on Tuesday night at Osborne Hall as the squad registered a 3-1 American Mideast Conference victory against the University of Northwestern Ohio.  After the Pioneers took the first set of the night by a score of 25-20, the Racers fought back to even the match by claiming the second set by a narrow margin of 25-23.  Malone was then able to secure the victory by winning the final two frames by scores of 25-18 and 27-25.  The win improved the Pioneers’ record to 16-3 overall and 4-0 in the AMC while UNOH dropped to 13-6 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.), who was recently named the AMC Player of the Week after leading the Pioneers to a 3-0 record September 21-27, continued her strong play on Tuesday evening as she notched a team-high 15 kills to go with 12 digs and one solo block.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) followed with 11 kills and 14 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) added eight kills and five blocks (four solo) while fellow senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) tallied seven kills and six total blocks (two solo).  Other important Malone contributors included sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) with 13 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 40 assists and 11 digs.

The Pioneers, winners of 13 out of their last 14 matches, will look to keep rolling on Friday as they host Daemen (NY) College in a 7:00 p.m. match.

 

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Malone Edges Daemen 3-2 To Stretch Winning Streak To Nine

The Malone University volleyball team remained undefeated in American Mideast Conference play by registering a 3-2 victory at home over Daemen (NY) College on Friday night.  The Pioneers and Wildcats split the first four sets of the evening with Malone winning the first and third frames by identical scores of 25-18 and Daemen claiming the second and fourth sets by tallies of 23-25 and 21-25.  The tightly-contested match then headed to a fifth and final set where Malone was able prevail 15-10 to secure its ninth consecutive victory.  The Pioneers’ record improved to 17-3 overall and 5-0 in the AMC with the win while Daemen dropped to 12-11 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied a match-high 18 kills to go with 26 digs.  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) followed with 13 kills and 27 digs while senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched 11 kills and three blocks (two solo).  Other Pioneer contributors included senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with seven kills and one solo block and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 51 assists and 19 digs.

Malone’s nine-match winning streak is the longest since 2003 when the squad put together 10 straight victories midway through its campaign.  The Pioneers, who have now won 14 out of their last 15 matches, will return to action on Tuesday evening when they travel to Cleveland for a 7:00 p.m. match against Notre Dame College (10-10 overall, 2-3 AMC).

 

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Pioneer Winning Streak Snapped With Narrow 3-2 Loss At Notre Dame

The Malone University volleyball team had its nine-match winning streak come to an end on Tuesday evening with a 3-2 American Mideast Conference loss at Notre Dame (OH) College.  The visitors’ hopes of winning their tenth straight contest looked promising in the early going as the Pioneers won the first two sets of the night by scores of 25-23 and 25-22.  However, the Falcons won the third frame 26-24 to seize the momentum and then went on to win the match by claiming the final two sets by scores of 25-15 and 15-8.  With its first conference loss of the year, Malone’s record fell to 17-4 overall and 5-1 in the AMC while Notre Dame improved to 11-10 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) led the way for the Pioneers, posting a team-high 12 kills to go with 12 digs, two blocks (one solo), and one service ace.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) added eight kills and four blocks (two solo) while senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) each drilled six kills.  In addition to their attack numbers, the duo also contributed defensively as Schoolcraft notched seven blocks (five solo) while Ickes scooped up a team-high 18 digs.  Senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) also made significant contributions with 27 assists and 10 digs.

Malone will look to start a new winning streak on Saturday when it travels to Portsmouth, Ohio to compete in a tri-match hosted by Shawnee State University.  The Pioneers will face off with the host Bears at 11:00 a.m. before taking on the University of Saint Francis (IN) in a non-conference contest at 1:00 p.m.

 

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Malone Splits Pair of Contests At Shawnee State Tri-match

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio on Saturday where it posted a 1-1 record in matches with the University of Saint Francis (IN) and the host Bears.  The Pioneers opened the day with a narrow 25-23, 23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 13-15 American Mideast Conference loss to Shawnee State.  Malone was able to bounce back later in the day though with a neutral 18-25, 25-21, 29-27, 25-19 non-conference victory over the Cougars.  Following Saturday’s action, the Pioneers’ record moved to 18-5 overall and 5-2 in the AMC.

Against Shawnee State, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) led the way with 13 kills, three service aces, 21 digs and three blocks (two solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with 11 kills and eight blocks (six solo) while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Fort Thomas, KY) notched 11 kills and 24 digs.  Other contributors included junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) with eight kills and 20 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 45 assists.

Against St. Francis, Ickes drilled a team-best 17 kills to go with two service aces, 17 digs and three blocks (two solo).  Schoolcraft followed with 12 kills and four blocks (three solo) while Gahagan tallied 11 kills, two aces, and 14 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) totaled nine kills, Beiting posted eight kills and 13 digs while Schwamberger dished out 45 assists and scooped up 13 digs.

The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday evening with a 7:00 p.m. American Mideast Conference match at local rival Walsh University (20-2 overall, 4-1 AMC).

 

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Malone Splits Pair of Contests At Shawnee State Tri-match

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio on Saturday where it posted a 1-1 record in matches with the University of Saint Francis (IN) and the host Bears.  The Pioneers opened the day with a narrow 25-23, 23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 13-15 American Mideast Conference loss to Shawnee State.  Malone was able to bounce back later in the day though with a neutral 18-25, 25-21, 29-27, 25-19 non-conference victory over the Cougars.  Following Saturday’s action, the Pioneers’ record moved to 18-5 overall and 5-2 in the AMC.

Against Shawnee State, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) led the way with 13 kills, three service aces, 21 digs and three blocks (two solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with 11 kills and eight blocks (six solo) while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Fort Thomas, KY) notched 11 kills and 24 digs.  Other contributors included junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) with eight kills and 20 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 45 assists.

Against St. Francis, Ickes drilled a team-best 17 kills to go with two service aces, 17 digs and three blocks (two solo).  Schoolcraft followed with 12 kills and four blocks (three solo) while Gahagan tallied 11 kills, two aces, and 14 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) totaled nine kills, Beiting posted eight kills and 13 digs while Schwamberger dished out 45 assists and scooped up 13 digs.

The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday evening with a 7:00 p.m. American Mideast Conference match at local rival Walsh University (20-2 overall, 4-1 AMC).

 

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Pioneers Topped By Walsh, 3-1

The Malone University volleyball team dropped an American Mideast Conference match at local rival Walsh University on Wednesday evening by a final margin of three sets to one.  After losing the first set of the evening 20-25, the Pioneers fought back to even the contest by claiming the second frame 25-22.  However, the host Cavaliers then went on to take the next two sets by scores of 25-20 and 25-22.  Malone’s record fell to 18-6 overall and 5-3 in the AMC with the defeat while Walsh improved to 21-2 overall and 5-1 in the conference.

Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack with 12 kills and five solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) posted 10 kills and 13 digs while junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) and junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Fort Thomas, KY) each posted nine kills.  In addition to their kill totals, Gahagan also notched two service aces and 10 digs while Beiting recorded 19 digs.  Other contributors in the four-set affair included freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 39 assists, senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 14 digs and senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with five kills and two solo blocks.

Malone will return to action on Friday and Saturday as it competes in a total of four weekend matches at the Davenport (MI) University Tournament.  On Friday, the Pioneers will face off against the University of Michigan-Dearborn at 4:00 p.m. before taking on Spring Arbor (MI) University at 8:00 p.m.   Then on Saturday, Malone will play the University of Saint Francis (IN) at 9:00 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend with an 11:00 a.m. match against Siena Heights (MI) University.

For a complete tournament schedule and updated scores, please visit the tournament website at http://www.dupanthers.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/09-PantherInvitational.html.

 

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Malone Tallies 4-0 Record Over the Weekend At Davenport Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan over the weekend where it compiled a 4-0 record at the Davenport University Panther Invitational.  The Pioneers opened play at the event on Friday with a 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-13 win against the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 victory over Spring Arbor (MI) University.  Then on Saturday, Malone posted a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 triumph against the University of Saint Francis (IN) before wrapping up the weekend with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 win over Siena Heights (MI) University.  Following the four non-conference victories, the Pioneers’ record improved to 22-6 on the season.

Against Michigan-Dearborn, junior outside hitters Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) each tallied a team-high 10 kills.  In addition, Ickes also posted four service aces, 10 digs and one solo block while Gahagan contributed two aces, 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with nine kills while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted eight kills.  Other contributors included senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with seven kills and three blocks (two solo), freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 38 assists, two service aces, and 14 digs, and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 12 digs.

In Friday’s finale with Spring Arbor, Schoolcraft anchored the Malone attack with 12 kills to go with one solo block.  Ickes registered 11 kills, two service aces and 11 digs while Gahagan notched 10 kills, two service aces and 11 digs.  Beiting and Finley chipped in with 14 digs apiece, Gann tallied five kills and six blocks (four solo) and Schwamberger dished out 35 assists.

In Saturday’s opener against Saint Francis, Ickes smacked 12 kills and scooped up 12 digs.  Beiting followed with eight kills, seven digs and two solo blocks while Schoolcraft and Gahagan each posted seven kills apiece.  Also contributing was Schwamberger with 32 assists and eight digs and junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces.

Against Siena Heights, Beiting led the way with 10 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with nine kills and five blocks (four solo).  Gahagan ripped six kills, served four aces and scooped up seven digs.  Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) notched six kills and eight digs while Schwamberger posted 33 assists, eight digs and one solo block.

In recognition of their strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes and Schoolcraft were named to the Davenport Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to AMC play on Thursday evening when they travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a 7:00 p.m. match with Point Park University.

 

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Malone Tallies 4-0 Record Over the Weekend At Davenport Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan over the weekend where it compiled a 4-0 record at the Davenport University Panther Invitational.  The Pioneers opened play at the event on Friday with a 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-13 win against the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 victory over Spring Arbor (MI) University.  Then on Saturday, Malone posted a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 triumph against the University of Saint Francis (IN) before wrapping up the weekend with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 win over Siena Heights (MI) University.  Following the four non-conference victories, the Pioneers’ record improved to 22-6 on the season.

Against Michigan-Dearborn, junior outside hitters Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) each tallied a team-high 10 kills.  In addition, Ickes also posted four service aces, 10 digs and one solo block while Gahagan contributed two aces, 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with nine kills while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted eight kills.  Other contributors included senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with seven kills and three blocks (two solo), freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 38 assists, two service aces, and 14 digs, and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 12 digs.

In Friday’s finale with Spring Arbor, Schoolcraft anchored the Malone attack with 12 kills to go with one solo block.  Ickes registered 11 kills, two service aces and 11 digs while Gahagan notched 10 kills, two service aces and 11 digs.  Beiting and Finley chipped in with 14 digs apiece, Gann tallied five kills and six blocks (four solo) and Schwamberger dished out 35 assists.

In Saturday’s opener against Saint Francis, Ickes smacked 12 kills and scooped up 12 digs.  Beiting followed with eight kills, seven digs and two solo blocks while Schoolcraft and Gahagan each posted seven kills apiece.  Also contributing was Schwamberger with 32 assists and eight digs and junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces.

Against Siena Heights, Beiting led the way with 10 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with nine kills and five blocks (four solo).  Gahagan ripped six kills, served four aces and scooped up seven digs.  Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) notched six kills and eight digs while Schwamberger posted 33 assists, eight digs and one solo block.

In recognition of their strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes and Schoolcraft were named to the Davenport Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to AMC play on Thursday evening when they travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a 7:00 p.m. match with Point Park University.

 

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Malone Tallies 4-0 Record Over the Weekend At Davenport Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan over the weekend where it compiled a 4-0 record at the Davenport University Panther Invitational.  The Pioneers opened play at the event on Friday with a 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-13 win against the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 victory over Spring Arbor (MI) University.  Then on Saturday, Malone posted a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 triumph against the University of Saint Francis (IN) before wrapping up the weekend with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 win over Siena Heights (MI) University.  Following the four non-conference victories, the Pioneers’ record improved to 22-6 on the season.

Against Michigan-Dearborn, junior outside hitters Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) each tallied a team-high 10 kills.  In addition, Ickes also posted four service aces, 10 digs and one solo block while Gahagan contributed two aces, 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with nine kills while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted eight kills.  Other contributors included senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with seven kills and three blocks (two solo), freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 38 assists, two service aces, and 14 digs, and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 12 digs.

In Friday’s finale with Spring Arbor, Schoolcraft anchored the Malone attack with 12 kills to go with one solo block.  Ickes registered 11 kills, two service aces and 11 digs while Gahagan notched 10 kills, two service aces and 11 digs.  Beiting and Finley chipped in with 14 digs apiece, Gann tallied five kills and six blocks (four solo) and Schwamberger dished out 35 assists.

In Saturday’s opener against Saint Francis, Ickes smacked 12 kills and scooped up 12 digs.  Beiting followed with eight kills, seven digs and two solo blocks while Schoolcraft and Gahagan each posted seven kills apiece.  Also contributing was Schwamberger with 32 assists and eight digs and junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces.

Against Siena Heights, Beiting led the way with 10 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with nine kills and five blocks (four solo).  Gahagan ripped six kills, served four aces and scooped up seven digs.  Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) notched six kills and eight digs while Schwamberger posted 33 assists, eight digs and one solo block.

In recognition of their strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes and Schoolcraft were named to the Davenport Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to AMC play on Thursday evening when they travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a 7:00 p.m. match with Point Park University.

 

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Malone Tallies 4-0 Record Over the Weekend At Davenport Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan over the weekend where it compiled a 4-0 record at the Davenport University Panther Invitational.  The Pioneers opened play at the event on Friday with a 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-13 win against the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 victory over Spring Arbor (MI) University.  Then on Saturday, Malone posted a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 triumph against the University of Saint Francis (IN) before wrapping up the weekend with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 win over Siena Heights (MI) University.  Following the four non-conference victories, the Pioneers’ record improved to 22-6 on the season.

Against Michigan-Dearborn, junior outside hitters Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) each tallied a team-high 10 kills.  In addition, Ickes also posted four service aces, 10 digs and one solo block while Gahagan contributed two aces, 12 digs and two blocks (one solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with nine kills while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) posted eight kills.  Other contributors included senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) with seven kills and three blocks (two solo), freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 38 assists, two service aces, and 14 digs, and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 12 digs.

In Friday’s finale with Spring Arbor, Schoolcraft anchored the Malone attack with 12 kills to go with one solo block.  Ickes registered 11 kills, two service aces and 11 digs while Gahagan notched 10 kills, two service aces and 11 digs.  Beiting and Finley chipped in with 14 digs apiece, Gann tallied five kills and six blocks (four solo) and Schwamberger dished out 35 assists.

In Saturday’s opener against Saint Francis, Ickes smacked 12 kills and scooped up 12 digs.  Beiting followed with eight kills, seven digs and two solo blocks while Schoolcraft and Gahagan each posted seven kills apiece.  Also contributing was Schwamberger with 32 assists and eight digs and junior outside hitter Tabitha Streby (Fredericktown H.S.) with four service aces.

Against Siena Heights, Beiting led the way with 10 kills and 10 digs.  Schoolcraft followed with nine kills and five blocks (four solo).  Gahagan ripped six kills, served four aces and scooped up seven digs.  Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) notched six kills and eight digs while Schwamberger posted 33 assists, eight digs and one solo block.

In recognition of their strong play throughout the weekend, Ickes and Schoolcraft were named to the Davenport Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers will return to AMC play on Thursday evening when they travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a 7:00 p.m. match with Point Park University.

 

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Malone Suffers 3-1 Loss At Point Park

The Malone University volleyball team travelled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Thursday evening where it dropped an American Mideast Conference match to Point Park University by a final tally of three sets to one.  The hosts claimed the first two sets of the night by scores of 25-18 and 25-19.  Malone salvaged the third frame 25-21 before Point Park put the match away with a 25-23 triumph in set four.  The loss dropped Malone’s record to 22-7 overall and 5-4 in the AMC while Point Park improved to 22-7 overall and 3-4 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied a team-high 12 kills to go with 22 digs and two solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) followed with 11 kills and 23 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) added seven kills and three blocks (two solo) while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) notched 34 assists, one service ace and 12 digs.

Malone will return to action on Saturday as it hosts a tri-match with Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (26-7 overall, 7-2 AMC) and the College of Wooster (20-6 overall, 11-3 NCAC), a member of NCAA Division III.  Malone will open the day with a 12:00 p.m. AMC match against MVNU.  Wooster and Mt. Vernon Nazarene will then square off in a neutral contest at 2:00 p.m. before the Pioneers and Fighting Scots wrap up the day with a 4:00 p.m. match.

Playoff Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular season’s second-place finisher.

With a 5-4 conference record, the Pioneers are currently in fifth place in the standings and would qualify for the AMC tournament as the #4 seed if the postseason started today.  The squad has three conference matches remaining on its schedule, all of which are at Osborne Hall (Saturday vs. MVNU, Oct. 31 vs. Cedarville University, and Oct. 31 vs. Carlow University).

 

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Pioneers Split Matches With Mt. Vernon Nazarene, Wooster

The Malone University volleyball team registered a 1-1 record on Saturday afternoon in its home tri-match with Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and the College of Wooster.  The Pioneers began the day with a 25-14, 18-25, 19-25, 16-25 American Mideast Conference loss to the Cougars before bouncing back later in the afternoon with a 25-8, 25-16, 25-16 non-conference victory over the Fighting Scots.  Following Saturday’s action at Osborne Hall, Malone’s record moved to 23-8 overall and 5-5 in the AMC.

Against MVNU, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack with 12 kills.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) followed with 11 kills, 12 digs and two solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) posted 10 kills, 10 digs and two solo blocks while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) registered eight kills and 14 digs.  Other  contributors included senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) with five solo blocks and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 34 assists, two service aces and 13 digs.

In Saturday’s finale with NCAA Division III Wooster, Schoolcraft and Ickes each recorded a team-high nine kills.  Schoolcraft also delivered seven digs and one solo block while Ickes tallied 13 digs and two solo blocks.  Gann, Gahagan, and Beiting all followed with five kills apiece.  Schwamberger also made an impact, adding 24 assists and 14 digs in just two sets played.

The Pioneers will return to action on Monday with a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match at Urbana University (13-7 overall).

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

With a 5-5 conference record, the Pioneers are currently tied for sixth place in the standings with Point Park (PA) University and Daemen (NY) College, who each hold AMC records of 4-4.  Malone has conference matches remaining against Cedarville University and Carlow (PA) University, both of which will be held at Osborne Hall on Saturday as part of an AMC tri-match.

 

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Pioneers Split Matches With Mt. Vernon Nazarene, Wooster

The Malone University volleyball team registered a 1-1 record on Saturday afternoon in its home tri-match with Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and the College of Wooster.  The Pioneers began the day with a 25-14, 18-25, 19-25, 16-25 American Mideast Conference loss to the Cougars before bouncing back later in the afternoon with a 25-8, 25-16, 25-16 non-conference victory over the Fighting Scots.  Following Saturday’s action at Osborne Hall, Malone’s record moved to 23-8 overall and 5-5 in the AMC.

Against MVNU, senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack with 12 kills.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) followed with 11 kills, 12 digs and two solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) posted 10 kills, 10 digs and two solo blocks while junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) registered eight kills and 14 digs.  Other  contributors included senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) with five solo blocks and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 34 assists, two service aces and 13 digs.

In Saturday’s finale with NCAA Division III Wooster, Schoolcraft and Ickes each recorded a team-high nine kills.  Schoolcraft also delivered seven digs and one solo block while Ickes tallied 13 digs and two solo blocks.  Gann, Gahagan, and Beiting all followed with five kills apiece.  Schwamberger also made an impact, adding 24 assists and 14 digs in just two sets played.

The Pioneers will return to action on Monday with a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match at Urbana University (13-7 overall).

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

With a 5-5 conference record, the Pioneers are currently tied for sixth place in the standings with Point Park (PA) University and Daemen (NY) College, who each hold AMC records of 4-4.  Malone has conference matches remaining against Cedarville University and Carlow (PA) University, both of which will be held at Osborne Hall on Saturday as part of an AMC tri-match.

 

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Malone Fights Back For Five-Set Win At NCAA Division II Urbana

The Malone University volleyball team overcame a two sets to one deficit on Monday evening to record a 3-2 victory at Urbana University.  The Pioneers took the opening frame of the match 25-17 before the Blue Knights, who are currently transitioning to membership in NCAA Division II, claimed the next two sets by scores of 28-26 and 25-21.  However, Malone was able to even the match by winning the fourth set 25-11 and then went on to notch the victory after taking the fifth and final set by a score of 15-11.  The non-conference win pushed the Pioneers’ overall record to 24-8 on the year while Urbana slipped to 13-18.

Junior outside hitters Lori Ickes (pictured left, Smithville H.S.) and Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) keyed the Malone attack on Monday as Ickes posted 15 kills and 25 digs while Gahagan drilled 14 kills, served three aces and scooped up 14 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) followed with 10 kills and three blocks (two solo) while fellow middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (Sr., McKinley H.S.) totaled eight kills and four solo blocks.  Also making significant contributions in the match was junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY), who added seven kills, two service aces and 14 digs, freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.), who tallied 32 assists, two service aces and eight digs, and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.), who registered 23 digs.

Malone (24-8 overall, 5-5 AMC) will now be idle until Saturday when it hosts an important American Mideast Conference tri-match against Cedarville University (11-19 overall, 5-3 AMC) and Carlow (PA) University (10-20 overall, 0-10 AMC).  The Pioneers will take on the Yellow Jackets at 11:00 a.m. before facing the Celtics at 3:00 p.m.  (Cedarville and Carlow will square off in a 1:00 p.m. match).

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

With a 5-5 conference record, the Pioneers are currently tied for seventh place in the standings with Daemen (NY) College, who holds an AMC record of 4-4.  Depending on the results of other AMC matches, Malone will likely need to win both of its remaining conference contests on Saturday in order to qualify for the AMC Postseason Tournament.

 

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Pioneers Pick Up Pair Of Important AMC Victories, Remain In Contention To Qualify For Postseason

The Malone University volleyball team kept its American Mideast Conference Tournament hopes alive on Saturday with a pair of important AMC victories in its home tri-match with Cedarville University and Carlow (PA) University.  The Pioneers opened the day with a 25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 25-19 triumph over the Yellow Jackets and then wrapped up the afternoon with a convincing 25-19, 25-14, 25-15 victory against the Celtics.  In the day’s neutral match, Cedarville topped Carlow in three sets by final scores of 26-24, 25-16, and 25-21.  With the pair of wins, Malone improved its record to 26-8 overall and 7-5 in the AMC.  The Pioneers have now concluded the conference portion of their regular-season schedule and will have to await the outcome of several of this week’s other AMC matches to see if they will qualify for the AMC Postseason Tournament (see Postseason Picture below).

Against Cedarville, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) ripped a match-high 15 kills to go with one service ace, nine digs and four blocks (three solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with 12 kills and six blocks (five solo) while junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) totaled 11 kills, one service ace, 15 digs and two solo blocks.  Other contributors included junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with nine kills, one service ace, and 11 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 43 assists and 18 digs.

In Saturday’s finale against Carlow, Gahagan again led the way with nine kills and 10 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) and sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) each followed with seven kills apiece.  In addition to her kill total, Fisher also served up three service aces.  Ickes added six kills while Schwamberger dished up 18 assists and scooped up nine digs.

The Pioneers will wrap up their regular-season schedule this week with two non-conference matches.  On Tuesday, the squad will host NCAA Division III Geneva (PA) College (19-10 overall) at 6:00 p.m. before travelling to Columbus, Ohio on Thursday night for a 7:00 p.m. match with NCAA Division II Ohio Dominican University ( 19-13 overall).

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

With a 7-5 conference record, the Pioneers are currently in seventh place in the standings, percentage points behind fifth-place Cedarville at 7-4 and sixth-place Point Park (PA) University at 6-4.  The Yellow Jackets have one AMC match remaining (Tuesday at home vs. the University of Northwestern Ohio) while Point Park has two conference matches remaining (Tuesday at home vs. Ursuline College and Saturday on the road at Roberts Wesleyan College). 

Malone, which does not have any conference matches remaining on its schedule, would move into one of the top six spots and therefore qualify for the AMC Tournament if Point Park lost both of its remaining matches OR if Cedarville lost to UNOH.  Due to its win over Cedarville and loss to Point Park during the regular season, Malone holds a tiebreaker over the Yellow Jackets but would lose the tiebreaker to Point Park.

 

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Pioneers Pick Up Pair Of Important AMC Victories, Remain In Contention To Qualify For Postseason

The Malone University volleyball team kept its American Mideast Conference Tournament hopes alive on Saturday with a pair of important AMC victories in its home tri-match with Cedarville University and Carlow (PA) University.  The Pioneers opened the day with a 25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 25-19 triumph over the Yellow Jackets and then wrapped up the afternoon with a convincing 25-19, 25-14, 25-15 victory against the Celtics.  In the day’s neutral match, Cedarville topped Carlow in three sets by final scores of 26-24, 25-16, and 25-21.  With the pair of wins, Malone improved its record to 26-8 overall and 7-5 in the AMC.  The Pioneers have now concluded the conference portion of their regular-season schedule and will have to await the outcome of several of this week’s other AMC matches to see if they will qualify for the AMC Postseason Tournament (see Postseason Picture below).

Against Cedarville, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) ripped a match-high 15 kills to go with one service ace, nine digs and four blocks (three solo).  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with 12 kills and six blocks (five solo) while junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) totaled 11 kills, one service ace, 15 digs and two solo blocks.  Other contributors included junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with nine kills, one service ace, and 11 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 43 assists and 18 digs.

In Saturday’s finale against Carlow, Gahagan again led the way with nine kills and 10 digs.  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) and sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) each followed with seven kills apiece.  In addition to her kill total, Fisher also served up three service aces.  Ickes added six kills while Schwamberger dished up 18 assists and scooped up nine digs.

The Pioneers will wrap up their regular-season schedule this week with two non-conference matches.  On Tuesday, the squad will host NCAA Division III Geneva (PA) College (19-10 overall) at 6:00 p.m. before travelling to Columbus, Ohio on Thursday night for a 7:00 p.m. match with NCAA Division II Ohio Dominican University ( 19-13 overall).

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

With a 7-5 conference record, the Pioneers are currently in seventh place in the standings, percentage points behind fifth-place Cedarville at 7-4 and sixth-place Point Park (PA) University at 6-4.  The Yellow Jackets have one AMC match remaining (Tuesday at home vs. the University of Northwestern Ohio) while Point Park has two conference matches remaining (Tuesday at home vs. Ursuline College and Saturday on the road at Roberts Wesleyan College). 

Malone, which does not have any conference matches remaining on its schedule, would move into one of the top six spots and therefore qualify for the AMC Tournament if Point Park lost both of its remaining matches OR if Cedarville lost to UNOH.  Due to its win over Cedarville and loss to Point Park during the regular season, Malone holds a tiebreaker over the Yellow Jackets but would lose the tiebreaker to Point Park.

 

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Malone Picks Up 3-1 Win Over Geneva On Senior Night; Pioneers Eliminated From AMC Postseason Contention Due To Tuesday’s Victories By Cedarville & Point Park

The Malone University volleyball team registered a 3-1 non-conference victory on Tuesday night at Osborne Hall over NCAA Division III Geneva (PA) College.  The Pioneers took the first two sets of the evening by final scores of 25-23 and 25-22.  The visiting Golden Tornadoes claimed the third set 25-22 before Malone wrapped up the match with a 25-21 triumph in set number four.  Malone improved its overall record to 27-8 with the Senior Night win while Geneva dropped to 19-11 on the season.  Unfortunately, despite the victory, the Pioneers were eliminated from AMC Tournament contention due to Tuesday’s American Mideast Conference wins by Cedarville University and Point Park University (See Postseason Picture Below).

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) paced the Pioneers with 12 kills, two service aces and 17 digs.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) and senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) each followed with 11 kills apiece.  In addition to their kill totals, Ickes also registered three service aces, 14 digs and three blocks (two solo) while Schoolcraft tallied four blocks (two solo).  Senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) chipped in with 10 kills with two solo blocks.  Also making significant contributions in their final home match were senior setter Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) and senior libero Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) as Dibell notched 25 assists and 16 digs while Finley scooped up 11 digs.

The Pioneers will wrap up their regular-season schedule on the road Thursday night with a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match against former AMC member Ohio Dominican University (21-15 overall).  A free live video stream of Thursday’s match will be available through Ohio Dominican’s website.  Click here for a link to the video stream.

Postseason Picture: The AMC receives two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament.  The first bid will be awarded to the conference’s regular-season champion and the second bid will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Postseason Tournament which will consist of finishers two through six in the final regular-season standings.  The single-elimination event will be hosted November 13-14 by the regular-season’s second-place finisher.

The Pioneers, who wrapped up the conference portion of their schedule over the weekend, have an AMC record of 7-5 and are currently in seventh place in the standings, percentage points behind sixth-place Point Park (PA) University at 7-4.  Although Point Park has one conference match remaining (Saturday on the road at Roberts Wesleyan College), PPU holds the tiebreaker over Malone and has therefore clinched the sixth and final AMC postseason spot because it defeated Malone in the only regular-season meeting between the two schools.

Despite having been eliminated from AMC playoff contention, the Pioneers could still possibly participate in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) postseason.  Malone was ranked second in the nation in the most recent NCCAA rankings and could potentially receive a bid to take part in the NCCAA National Tournament which will be held December 3-5 in Kissimmee, Florida.

 

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Malone Fights Back For 3-2 Victory In Regular-Season Finale At Ohio Dominican

The Malone University volleyball team wrapped its regular-season schedule on Thursday evening in Columbus, Ohio with a come-from-behind, five-set victory over Ohio Dominican University.  The Panthers, who are currently in transition to becoming members of NCAA Division II, looked to be in control of the non-conference match after taking the first two sets of the night by scores of 25-21 and 25-23.  However, the Pioneers rallied to take the third and fourth sets by identical scores of 26-24 and then went on to claim the match three sets to two after claiming the decisive fifth frame by a final score of 15-10.  Malone’s record improved to 28-8 with the comeback win while ODU dropped to 21-16.

Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (pictured to the right, Ravenna Southeast H.S.) ripped a career-high 23 kills to go with two service aces and 17 digs.  Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) followed with 16 kills and 23 digs while senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) posted a season-high 14 kills with nine digs and six blocks (four solo).  Senior libero Julie Finley (pictured below right, Western Reserve H.S.) and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) also tallied career-high statistical totals in the match as Finley registered 29 digs while Schwamberger notched 57 assists and 24 digs.

Although the Pioneers narrowly missed out on qualifying for the American Mideast Conference Tournament, the squad will likely receive an at-large bid to compete in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Championships which will be held December 3-5 in Kissimmee, Florida.

Malone Notes:  2009 marked the 12th time in program history and the sixth time under head coach Tanya Hockman that Malone has posted 25 or more victories…Schoolcraft now ranks second on the Pioneers’ all-time list for total blocks with 546…The Pioneers won 10 of their final 12 regular-season matches.

 

 

 

 

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Malone Opens Play At NCCAA National Tournament With Straight Set Win Over Southwestern Assemblies of God

The Malone University volleyball team, led by 11th-year head coach Tanya Hockman, began pool play competition at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida on Thursday afternoon with a 25-16, 25-22, 25-18 win against Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) University.  The Pioneers, seeded sixth in the 10-team event, improved to 29-8 overall with the win while the third-seeded Lady Lions dropped to 27-11.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) led the way for the Pioneers with 10 kills and nine digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (pictured left; McKinley H.S.) followed with eight kills and three solo blocks while junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied seven kills, two service aces, nine digs and seven blocks (four solo).  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) registered five kills and 13 digs while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) contributed 27 assists and 14 digs.

The 10-team field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Malone will play again on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against second-seeded Campbellsville (KY) University.  The Pioneers will then wrap up pool play on Friday with matches slated against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University at 2:00 p.m. and 10th-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) University at 6:00 p.m.  Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

CLICK HERE for more NCCAA National Tournament Information.

 

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Pioneers Fall To Campbellsville In Second Pool Play Match Of NCCAA National Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team lost to Campbellsville (KY) University 3-1 on Thursday during day one of pool play at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida.  The Tigers, seeded second out of 10 teams at the event, took the first set of the match 25-23 before the sixth-seeded Pioneers evened the contest with a 25-20 victory in set two.  Campbellsville was able to put the match away, though, by winning sets three and four by identical scores of 25-21 and 25-21.  The Pioneers, who earlier on Thursday afternoon topped third-seeded Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) University 3-0, moved their overall record to 29-9 and enter day two of pool play (Friday) with a 1-1 national tournament mark.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) paced Malone with 11 kills and 18 digs.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) totaled nine kills, three service aces, 13 digs and two solo blocks.  Senior middle hitters Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) each added seven kills.  Schoolcraft also posted six blocks (five solo) while Gann registered two solo blocks.  Freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) also made significant contributions with 34 assists and 15 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Malone will continue pool play on Friday with matches slated against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University at 2:00 p.m. and 10th-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) University at 6:00 p.m.  Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

 

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Malone Begins Day Two Of Pool Play By Topping Spring Arbor, 3-0

The Malone University volleyball team improved its pool play record at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament to 2-1 on Friday afternoon with a 25-23, 25-15, 25-23 straight-set victory against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University.  The sixth-seeded Pioneers improved to 30-9 overall with the win, marking the eighth time in the history of the program that Malone has reached the 30-win plateau.  The Pioneers can lock up a spot in the tournament’s semifinal round with a victory in their final pool play match which is slated for 6:00 p.m. Friday evening against tenth-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) College.

In the win against Spring Arbor, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) registered a team-high 11 kills to go with 14 digs and two solo blocks.  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) also posted 11 kills with 10 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched 10 kills and three blocks (two solo) while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) posted 37 assists and 14 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

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Pioneers Wrap Up Pool Play At NCCAA National Tournament With 3-0 Victory Over Pensacola Christian; Advance To Saturday’s Semifinal Round

The Malone University volleyball team concluded pool play at the NCCAA National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida on Friday evening with a 25-21, 25-13, 25-14 victory against tenth-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) College.  With the win, the sixth-seeded Pioneers improved their pool play record to 3-1 to clinch a runner-up finish in Pool B and earn one of four spots in Saturday’s semifinal round.  Malone, now 31-9 on the season, will move on to face fellow NCCAA East Region and American Mideast Conference member Mt. Vernon Nazarene University at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.  Should the Pioneers knock off the top-seeded Cougars, Malone would advance to the NCCAA National Championship Game at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of the other semifinal match between second-seeded Campbellsville (KY) University and eighth-seeded Bryan (TN) College.

Against Pensacola Christian, junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) led the way for the Pioneers with 13 kills.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with seven kills. Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.), senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.), and junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) all tallied four kills apiece while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) chipped in with 33 assists and 11 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team played four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool advanced to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

 

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Malone Falls 3-1 To Mt. Vernon Nazarene In Semifinal Round Of NCCAA National Tournament

The Malone University volleyball team concluded its 2009 season on Saturday morning with a 3-1 loss to Mt. Vernon Nazarene University in the semifinal round of the NCCAA National Tournament.  The sixth-seeded Pioneers had tallied a 3-1 record during pool play on Thursday and Friday to earn a spot in Saturday’s first semifinal match.  Malone took the first set of the day 28-26 before the Cougars evened the match with a 25-23 victory in set two.  Mt. Vernon Nazarene, the top seed among the 10-team national tournament field, then put the match away by claiming the next two sets by final scores of 25-15 and 25-16.

Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) paced the Malone attack with 13 kills and two solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied 10 kills and 16 digs while senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) also totaled 10 kills.  Other contributors included junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) with seven kills and 14 digs, junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with seven kills and a team-high 21 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 39 assists and 15 digs.

Malone wrapped up its season with a 31-10 overall record, marking the program’s highest win total since 2001.  In recognition of their strong play throughout the national event, Gahagan and Ickes were each named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team.