The Raven volleyball team excited the home crowd on Tuesday night with a thrilling five-game HAAC match against Evangel University in the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.
In the end, Evangel (13-5, 4-0 HAAC) was too much for Benedictine (5-10, 2-1 HAAC) as the Crusaders took the match 3-2.
After dropping game one 25-21, the Ravens rallied to win the next two games 25-13 and 25-23 before the Crusaders took game four 25-23 to force the fifth and match-deciding game.
After trading points through the side change, Evangel was able to break an 11-all tie and score four unanswered to win game five 15-11.
Benedictine had its most balanced offensive attack of the season against the HAAC -leading Crusaders.
The Ravens had four players reach double figures in kills, with outside hitters Carly Steinlage (Soph., Topeka) and Karlie Dalton (Soph., Parker, Colo.) along with middle hitter Hannah Grazda (Fr., Placitas, N.M.) lead the charge with 13 kills each. Outside hitter Morgan Ogorzaly (Soph., Omaha) added 11 kills to round out the Ravens offensive attack.
Setter Emilee Clark (Soph., Olathe) anchored the offensive attack with 37 kills while the Ravens second setter in its two-setter system Sara Navinskey (Jr., Winchester) added 21 assists.
As a team, Benedictine finished with 65 kills, converted on 25 percent of their offensive attacks.
Defensively, Benedictine recorded 72 digs, one solo block and six block assists.
Libero Cassie Rockers (Sr., Mound City) led the back line of defense with 20 digs, followed by defensive specialist Nicole Edgar (Soph., Bellevue, Neb.) with 14 kills. Defensive specialist Lauren Eggen (Soph., Jefferson City, Mo.) added 11 to round out the back line defense.
Grazda and middle hitter Ashley Gray (Soph., Atchison) led the front line with two block assists while middle hitter Lyn Gengler (Jr., Beloit) added a solo block and block assist.
Navinskey tallied four aces during the five-game match while Clark and Rockers added three and two respectively.
Benedictine returns to tournament action on Friday and Saturday with four match in the MNU Tournament in Olathe. They return home for the first of their final three home matches on Monday at 7 p.m. against Avila University.
