"Tri-State"

  To get better in any sport, you have to play against the best. For the MVNC women's volleyball team, that meant facing the defending NAIA Great Lakes Regional champions, Madonna (MI) University, at the Tri-State (IN) University Tournament on Saturday.

  The Lady Cougars (13-4) began play in the four-team round robin tournament against the 12th-ranked Lady Crusaders from Madonna (17-2). Despite eight kills and two blocks from Tara Seiter and seven kills and two blocks from Rachel Widener, MVNC fell by the scores of 15-5, 15-11, 15-9.

  In the next match, the Lady Cougars were pitted against Goshen (IN) College. In this match, MVNC came from behind to win the match 15-10, 11-15, 14-16, 15-8, 15-8. Once again, Seiter led the team with 16 kills and six blocks, while Christa DeLorenzo and Widener added 14 and 11 kills respectively.

  The final match of the tournament pitted MVNC against the host school, Tri-State. The Lady Cougars claimed the match 15-13, 15-7, 14-16, 15-3 to take second place in the tournament behind Madonna. DeLorenzo led the team with 17 kills, while Seiter contributed 15 kills and a team-leading five blocks. Widener finished with eight kills and three blocks.

  For her efforts in the tournament, Seiter was named to the six-player All-Tournament team.   The Lady Cougars will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Mid-Ohio Conference rival, the University of Rio Grande.