Valparaiso sweeps Butler in the third quarterfinal match of the Horizon League Volleyball Championship
Nov. 16, 2007
MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Valparaiso University Crusaders swept the Butler University Bulldogs 3-0 (30-28, 30-25, 30-25) in the third quarterfinal match of the 2007 Horizon League Volleyball Championship on Friday at the Klotsche Center. Valpo will meet the winner of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee-Loyola University Chicago matchup in the second semifinal match at 4:00 p.m. CT on Saturday.
With the win, the Crusaders advance to tournament semifinals in their first Horizon League season and improve to 20-10 on the year. Valpo's 20th victory gives the Horizon League three teams with 20 wins or more for the first time since the 2003 season.
Valparaiso sophomore Angie Porche had a match-high 20 kills and junior Brittany Malicoat tallied a match-high 23 digs. Both Porche and Malicoat set single-season school records in kills and digs, respectively. In 2007, Porche has totaled 537 kills, while Malicoat has posted 676 digs.
Butler sophomore Porshia Allen (14) and senior Michelle DeGeeter (10) were the only BU players to reach double-figures in kills.
Valparaiso out hit Butler .245-.220 and tallied 21 kills in the first game, including six from Porche and five from freshman Tara Newton as the Crusaders claimed a 30-28 victory. Defensively for Valpo, Malicoat led the way with eight digs in the opening frame.
In the second frame, Valparaiso was out hit by Butler .298-.294, but the Crusaders still managed to claim a 30-25 victory. Porche and Newton each tallied five kills to lead Valpo.
The Crusaders finished off the Bulldogs in the third frame thanks to nine kills from Porche. Butler took an early 9-7 lead, but the Crusaders won the next two points to tie the score and would not trail for the remainder of the game as they claimed a 30-25 victory.
For more information about the 2007 Horizon League Volleyball Championship, check out the volleyball championship central page at www.horizonleague.org.
