In a thrilling five set match inside Livingston Gymnasium, the Crusaders of Capital University edge the Denison University volleyball team 3-2 (25-20, 18-25, 25-16, 17-25, 15-9) on Tuesday night in Granville, Ohio.

In the opening set, the Big Red erased a four-point deficit as they took a 15-11 edge.  Capital rebounded to knot the match up at 15-all.  The two squads traded off points until the score was tied at 18-18.  Down 19-18, the Crusaders scored seven of the next eight points to win the first set.  In game two, Denison methodically built up a 10-6 lead.  DU ballooned their advantage to 17-11 en route to a second-set victory to tie the match.

Capital took the third game, while Denison won the fourth to set up a fifth and deciding game.  After CU captured the first point, the Big Red rattled off two straight tallies to take a 2-1 edge.  The Crusaders regained a two-point lead twice, but DU was able to trim the gap to one on both occasions.  Ahead 5-4, Capital rattled off five of the next six points to take a 10-5 advantage.  Denison began to rally as they cut the deficit to 10-7, but three-straight points gave CU a six-point lead.  The Big Red was able to shrink the gap to four (13-9), but the Crusaders rallied to score the final two points of the match.

Junior Lauren Strowder (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) paced the DU attack with 17 kills, while Claire Koneval (Solon, Ohio/Solon) dished out 43 assists.  Defensively, junior Megan Early (Findlay, Ohio/Van Buren) and first-years Lauren Gustafson (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter) and Madison Owen (Novi, Mich./Northville) all had three blocks.  Senior Lauren Weidner (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) finished the match with 26 digs.

Denison (2-9) returns to action on Tuesday (Sept. 21) when they travel to Mount Vernon Nazarene for a 7 p.m. match.