INDIANAPOLIS – In the best day of playing in the early season, the No. 10 Wheeling Jesuit volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker, 3-2, to No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth after it bounced No. 6 Colorado School of Mines, 3-1, earlier on Saturday.
 
The Cardinals stormed out of the gate to capture the opening two sets, 25-17 and 25-22, over the Bulldogs. The No. 3-ranked UMD team edged the next two sets, 25-23 and 25-21, before it completed the comeback, 15-13 in the game-deciding set.
 
"I am very proud of the team for the way they played today. Even though we are disappointed in the loss, we will grow and learn from the mistakes we made down the stretch," said WJU head coach Christy Benner.
 
Benner's team fell to No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth (7-1) on Sept. 4 at the University of Tampa Tournament by a 3-1 score. The Cardinals three loses have come to No. 1 Tampa and now twice to No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth.
 
In the early morning match, WJU rattled off three-straight set wins after No. 6 Colorado School of Mines (5-2) to take the match 23-25, 25-23, 25-22 and 25-23.
 
"Couldn't be happier for the players, especially after being down 17-11 in the third set. During the timeout, we talked about finishing the set in a positive way. The team responded and they pulled out the victory! I thought the two teams were similar, and all of us were looking forward to this match."
 
The Mountain East Conference Player of the Week Haley Kindall powered the WJU offense. The junior totaled 31 kills and 10 total blocks. Lauran Graves posted an outstanding early match with 15 kills, .520 hit percentage and 10 total blocks. Andrea Thobe handed out a combined 99 set assists and dug 22 attacks.
 
The Cardinals open a week of home matches on Tuesday night, Sept. 15. WJU hosts its MEC opener against Urbana University in a 7 p.m. match.


No. 10 WJU 3, No. 6 Colorado School of Mines 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23)
In the sets…
In the opening set, Colorado School of Mines opened a 9-4 lead and continued to hold a margin of at least four points for the majority of the set. Down 24-20, WJU scored the next three points, but it was unable to complete the rally to fall 25-23.
 
Behind 16-14 in the second set, the Cardinals netted six-straight points with two kills by Kayce Krucki for a 20-16 advantage. The Orediggers worked the set to a tie, 23-23, before Kindall and Krucki downed kills and 25-23 final.
 
Again, the Cardinals finished the set strong. Down by a point, 21-20, Maddy Smyth led six points of the final seven with a trio of kills and 25-22 score.
 
With Colorado School of Mines ahead, 23-22, Graves finished the WJU victory. The freshman killed the 23^rd point, blocked solo the next point and teamed with Emma Schleucher to block the final point for the match victory.
 
By the numbers…
For the Cardinals
•Graves – 15 kills, .520 pct. (2 errors, 25 TA), 2 BS, 8 BA, 2 digs
•Krucki – 9 kills, 12 digs, 4 BA
•Schleucher – 8 kills, 5 BA, 10 digs
•Kindall – 16 kills, 4 TB
•A. Thobe – 50 assts, 10 digs, ace, BA
•Jessica Thobe – 14 digs
•Maddy Smyth – 6 kills, 2 digs, 2 TB
•Sam Obringer – 13 digs
•Abby Moffit – 5 digs
 
For the Orediggers…
•Megan Peterson – 19 kills, 6 TB
•Frannie Cormier – 13 kills, 12 digs
 
No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth 3, No. 10 WJU 2 (17-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13)
In the sets…
WJU opened strong and went ahead 10-5 in the first set. Off a 7-1 run, the Cardinals expanded the difference to 21-12 off Schleucher's two kills and two aces and eventual 25-17 final.
 
The Cardinals held a 14-8 lead midway through set two. The margin ballooned to 20-11 behind four Kindall kills. UMD rallied hard to pull to within two points, but WJU had the last point, 25-22.
 
The Bulldogs edged a 25-23 third set and 25-21 fourth sets to set up the game-deciding set.
 
WJU had an 8-5 lead at the halfway point of set five. Tied at 10, UMD posted four of the next five points and 14-11 advantage. Schleucher killed the next point and teamed with Graves for a 14-13 score. The Bulldogs held on for the match-winning point, 15-13.
 
By the numbers…
For the Cardinals
•Kindall – 15kills, 4 aces, 6 TB, 3 digs
•A. Thobe – 49 assts, 12 digs, 2 BA
•Schleucher – 16 kills, 3 BA, 4 digs, 3 assts
•Krucki – 9 kills, 11 digs, 2 BA
•Graves – 7 kills, 3 TB
•Jessica Thobe – 24 digs
•Maddy Smyth – 8 kills
•Sam Obringer – 13 digs
•Abby Moffit – 5 digs
 
 
For the Bulldogs…
•Mariah Scharf – 20 kills
•Sydnie Mauch – 16 kills, 4 BA