Lady Cougars advance to Crossroads League Semifinals

The MVNU volleyball team (30-4) swept both opponents last week, taking down Ohio Wesleyan University 3-1 (26-24, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20) and knocking Goshen College out of Crossroads League tournament play 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-14).

Tuesday against Ohio Wesleyan, senior Annelise Rohrer powered MVNU offensively with 15 kills. Junior Alyson Near and sophomore Kristen Osborn tacked on 12 kills apiece.

The Cougars charged past the Goshen College Maple Leafs in the Crossroads League Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday.

Three Lady Cougars recorded double-digit digs. Junior Ashley Gingerich led the defensive attack with 16 while Osborn picked up 13 and Rohrer scooped up 11.

Rohrer led the Cougars offensively with 14 kills.

While Cougars Head Coach Paul Swanson was disappointed in the Cougars’ second-set play, he was still happy with the victory.

“Goshen was doing good things. We survived a good team and a hard-fought match,” he said.

The Cougars’ victory on Saturday propelled the ladies to the second round of the Crossroads League Tournament.

The conference semifinals will be Wednesday at Ariel Arena as the two-seeded Cougars host the three-seeded Taylor University Trojans at 7 p.m.

On the other side of the bracket, top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University will host fourth-seeded Marian University at 7 p.m.

The winners of these two matches will go on to face each other in the championship match on Saturday, with the higher seed hosting the final round.

“Wednesday will be a challenge, but we are looking forward to it,” Swanson said. “It doesn’t matter who we play, it’s a matter of us being ready to play.”