In the season opener against Davenport, MVNU (2-0) found itself trailing 5-0 and then 8-1 in the first set as the Lady Panthers took the early lead. However, the Lady Cougars got things rolling and bounced back to tie the set at 10-10 before going on to win the match in straight sets 25-21, 25-17, 25-13. Freshman middle hitter Gina Porto made her collegiate debut with eight kills and four blocks, while sophomore Jackie Albrecht (left) added seven kills and 14 digs. Senior outside hitter Audrey Hickinbotham also smashed seven kills to go with eight digs, and junior setter Kaylin Austen handed out 25 assists with eight digs. Junior right-side hitter Courtney Springer contributed five kills, four aces, and three blocks, while freshman outside hitter Cieleste Rose served up two aces to go with six digs. Sophomore defensive specialist Caitlin Myles also registered six digs.

"(Davenport) came out very strong to start the match and played very well in the back row,” said MVNU head coach Paul Swanson, who became the first NAIA volleyball coach to reach 850 wins with the victory. "We gradually matched their play in the back row and then we were able to take control of the match. It was a good challenge for us and it is always nice to get that first win of the season.”

The second match of the day pitted a pair of 1-0 teams against each other with head coaches who had just notched milestone wins as Bethel’s Julie Reininga earned career victory No. 200 by defeating Davenport in straight sets. The Lady Pilots, who won the 2007 National Christian College Athletic Association national title and posted a 34-12 final record, took the first set 25-20, but the Lady Cougars responded by taking sets two and three by the scores of 25-21 and 30-28. After Bethel knotted the match at two sets apiece with a 25-20 win in the fourth set, MVNU claimed the match with a 15-11 victory in the fifth and deciding set.

Albrecht led the Lady Cougars with 17 kills, a career-high 18 digs, and nine blocks as she just missed her first career triple-double. Springer added 10 kills, 16 digs, and three aces, while Hickinbotham also pounded 10 kills to go with 13 digs. Austen handed out 38 assists with 10 digs, while Myles recorded a career-high 13 digs. Porto also registered a career-high six blocks, and Rose tallied eight digs.

"This was just a great match,” said Swanson. "(Bethel) played really well throughout and gave us all that we could handle. These are the kind of matches that you want to be a part of early in the season as your team tries to find its identity and works to improve. Then, to come out on top in this kind of match against a good team - that makes it that much nicer.”

MVNU will not have much time to enjoy its season-opening success as the Lady Cougars must turn around and play host Michigan-Dearborn at 8:30 a.m. Then, MVNU will close out the tournament at 1:00 p.m. with a rematch with No. 10 Madonna (Mich.) University, who defeated the Lady Cougars in five sets in pool play at the NAIA National Tournament last year. Saturday’s match against Madonna will feature the two winningest coaches in NAIA history as Swanson (851 wins) and the Lady Crusaders’ Jerry Abraham (847) will square off for the third straight year with Madonna winning the previous two meetings.