Box Score
SIOUX CITY, Iowa --- Yesterday, Biola did not have much of a chance to show their blocking prowess and power at the net. Today, all that changed as the Eagles racked up 18 blocks in their 3-1 (31-33, 25-17, 25-11, 25-19) win over No. 16 Madonna (Mich.).
 
Biola improves to 2-0 in pool play at the 2014 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Volleyball National Championship and 30-4 overall after the win. The Crusaders fell to 0-2 at the tournament and 37-9 on the year.
 
Joclyn Kirton was the star of the day for Biola with block after humungous block to keep the talented Madonna hitters at bay. She ended the four-setter with five solo blocks and got in on four others to lead the team. Kirton added to that 10 kills to just two attacking errors in a fantastic all-around performance.
 
"I think we prepared very well for this game, and we were able to execute everything that coach told us to look for," said Kirton. "We put all of our attention toward the other team and just left it up to them to make errors. We played really well together today."
 
Amy Weststeyn and her bashing partner, Alyssa Mason, continued their strong tournaments with 16 and 18 kills, respectively. Mason hit .341 while Weststeyn came in at .412. The pair also got in on 12 blocks between them.
 
Aside from all the great blocking and hitting in the later sets, this set featured a very competitive and high-energy first set that reminded everyone in the arena what National Tournament-caliber volleyball was all about.
 
"I give Madonna a lot of credit. They were phenomenal in game one," said Head Coach Aaron Seltzer. "It took us some time to figure out what happened, but the girls bounced back and were sharp. Joclyn was blocking balls all over the place, and it is a luxury when you have somebody that is dialed-in like that."
 
The Eagles got the first point of the match, but then seemed to be playing catch-up throughout the rest of the set, culminating in a handful of set points for the Crusaders.
 
Biola's back row was coming up big anytime Madonna had a chance to close out the set, especially senior Charley Parker, who was sprawling all over the place to save points for the Eagles.
 
The Eagles defensed seven Crusaders' set points, and had three of their own, before a service ace by Spencer Stokes sealed the 33-31 set win for Madonna and began to quiet down Biola's crowd and bench.
 
Madonna actually improved its attacking in the second set, but that is also when Biola began getting in front of balls and serving into the other side of the court to gain an advantage in the match.
 
The Eagles ended with six service aces on the afternoon, which is three times as many as any team in Pool D put forth in yesterday's matches.
 
Sets three and four saw Biola really turn up the heat on the attack. The Eagles compiled 35 of their 52 kills in that half of the match and hit over .300 as a team while holding the Crusaders to just 15 kills and an attack percentage around .000 with great defense, passing and blocking.
 
Biola's defensive specialists were on point throughout the match, posting 80 digs, just five below the season-high. Alex Brehaut and Jaci Schork combined for 32 of them as the Eagles' go-tos on the back row.
 
Schork led with 19, tying her personal season-high, and she also added another service ace, bringing her to three aces in two games at this tournament.
 
The four-set win helps Biola maintain its spot at the top of Pool D. The Eagles are 2-0 and face No. 9 Viterbo tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. CT/1:15pm PT.
 
"We are going to need to bring our 'A' game tomorrow and play together as a team. If we can do that, we will do well, said Kirton."