HAMMOND, IND. – On day one of the 2025 Midwest Crossover Tournament, the Maryville volleyball team went 1-1 against a pair of formidable foes. No. 14 Ferris State defeated the Saints in four sets (25-18, 25-11, 25-21) in the opener before downing Cedarville 23-25, 25-22, 30-28, 19-25, 15-13 in a thriller to end the day.

FERRIS STATE RECAP
The Saints scored the first four points of the set and stayed ahead for a stretch. Payton Mandac had a kill to spark a 4-0 run. Ella Brinkmann followed with a kill before two straight aces by Mallory Sell put the Saints up 14-12. Another Mandac kill gave Maryville a 16-15 edge but the Bulldogs scored eight straight to take the set.
 
The Saints roared out to an 8-2 advantage in the second set. Lynsey Batson's kill sparked the run as the Saints went up 5-1. Following an Ella Domian kill, an FSU error put Maryville up by six points. The Bulldogs got as close as 9-7 before the Saints responded with five straight points. Emma Hoing put down a kill, and Leslie Longanbach served an ace. After another Hoing kill, a block by Domian and Batson followed by an FSU error made it 14-7. The Bulldogs got as close as 15-14 before the Saints took control with four unanswered points. FSU made a push and got as close as two points before Elle Witthaus' kill ended the set at 25-22.
 
Ferris State used a strong third set before closing out the match in four. The Saints grabbed an 8-4 lead in the fourth on a Longanbach kill. FSU took a lead before a kill by Domian tied the score at 9-9. Kills by Brinkmann and Mandac forged another tie at 13-all before FSU tallied four straight. Maryville scored three consecutive points to close to 24-21 but FSU held on.
 
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ella Brinkmann - 13
Hitting Percentage: Ella Brinkmann - .267
Assists: Taylor Reynolds - 17
Service Aces: Mallory Sell - 4
Digs: Olivia Klump - 21
Blocks: Lynsey Batson - 5
 
Records
Maryville: 8-9
Ferris State: 14-4
 
CEDARVILLE RECAP
The teams split the first two sets before the Saints won a 30-28 thriller in the third. The Saints had their first set point at 24-23 until Cedarville tied it. Maryville had two more chances but were tied again. Cedarville went up 28-27 before the Saints tallied three straight. Sell's kill tied it, and Brinkmann and Hailey Levinson's block put the Saints up by one. The Saints finally converted on a Cedarville miscue at 30-28. Cedarville rallied to take set four and to force a fifth set.
 
Cedarville led 8-5 in the finale before the Saints reeled off a 4-0 run. Batson and Brinkmann had kills, followed by a Yellowjackets error. A Brinkmann kill put the Saints on top 9-8. After Cedarville tied it but Levinson and Brinkmann followed with kills. The Yellowjackets tied the score again at 13-all but committed a service error. The Saints converted the ensuing match point via a Batson kill for a thrilling 15-13 decision.
 
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ella Brinkmann - 20
Hitting Percentage: Hailey Levinson - .367
Assists: Cami Kohmetscher - 33
Service Aces: Ella Brinkmann and Lynsey Batson - 1
Digs: Olivia Klump - 34
Blocks: Lynsey Batson - 5
 
Records
Maryville: 9-9
Cedarville: 13-4