INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Quincy University women's volleyball team traveled to Indianapolis for the Midwest Regional Crossover on Friday (Hawktober 18). The Hawks split day one, defeating Malone University 3-1 before falling to Kentucky Wesleyan 3-2.

Sarah Brown and Emily Rehagen combined for 63 kills in the two matches. 

Makayla Knoblauch turned in two double-doubles, recording 43 assists and 12 digs against the Pioneers and 54 assists and 16 digs in the match with the Panthers.

Quincy 3, Malone 1

The Hawks fell behind 7-3 to start the opening set. QU got back to within one, trailing 9-8, after three straight kills from Makayla Knoblauch, Emily Rehagen, and Lauren Worl. The Hawks tied it at 10-10 three points later when Rehagen and Sarah Brown fired back-to-back kills. Malone scored nine of the next 14 points to pull ahead once again 19-15. That lead was too much for Quincy to overcome as the Pioneers took the first set 25-20.
 
The QU offense came out firing on all cylinders to start the second. Sarah Brown and Emily Rehagen teamed up for three straight kills, propelling the Hawks to an early 5-1 lead. The Pioneers responded by going on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the set. That momentum was brought to a halt after Brown knocked down a kill and Sarah Blair served up an ace to start a 6-0 run by the Hawks. The teams went back and forth for the next few points, as the score sat tied at 14-14. QU proceeded to rattle off seven straight points, highlighted by a Makayla Knoblauch ace and kills from Brown, Rehagen and Stephanie Mizeur. The Hawks used that run to pull away and Mizeur knocked down her 9^th kill of the match to put the Pioneers away, 25-18.
 
The intensity picked up in the third set. Quincy jumped out to a 5-3 lead before Malone went on an 8-1 run to go up 11-6. The Hawks used a plethora of Pioneer errors and a Lauren Worl kill to go on a six-point run and tie it at 19-19. Emily Rehagen slammed home a kill to bring the Hawks to set point, 24-22. The Pioneers scored the next point before the Hawks wrapped things up. QU took the third set 25-23.
 
The start of the fourth set was tightly contested, seeing eight ties and three lead changes before the Pioneers used a 5-0 run to take an 18-13 lead. The Hawks found themselves down 21-17 before responding in a big way. Quincy used monster kills from Sarah Brown, Emily Rehagen and Stephanie Mizeur to take the next seven points and move to match point, up 24-21. Malone scored the next two points, but a Pioneer attack error ended the match. QU won the third set 25-23 and took a 3-1 victory.
 
Kentucky Wesleyan 3, Quincy 2

For the second straight year at the Midwest Regional Crossover, Quincy and Kentucky Wesleyan went to five sets.
 
The first set was just the beginning to the highly-contested match. The Panthers jumped out to an early 11-6 lead. The Hawks answered by using kills from Sarah Brown and Makayla Knoblauch to surge forward, taking six of the next seven points to tie it at 12-12. The two teams traded two- and three-point runs before KWC strung together back-to-back kills to pull ahead 23-19. That lead was enough as the Panthers took the first set 25-21.
 
KWC took momentum into the second set, leading 8-4. QU head coach Mark Jones turned to his bench and called on right-side hitter Madelynne McKeown. The senior from Juneau, Alaska quickly tallied two kills to give the Hawks the boost they needed. Quincy fought all the way back and took an 18-17 lead late in the set. Sarah Brown later hammered home a kill and the Hawks took advantage of two Panther errors to score the final three points of the set. QU won the second set 25-22.
 
Quincy went ahead 9-6 in the third after Alaina Rothermich and Emily Rehagen put down back-to-back kills. The battle continued as the Panthers clawed their way back, taking an 18-15 lead. The Hawks scored the next four points to retake the lead, 19-18. The score stayed close, sitting at 24-24. Each team collected a point before Emily Rehagen sealed the deal. The freshman from O'Fallon, Missouri connected on two kills to give the Hawks a 26-24 victory.
 
The tide turned in the direction of KWC in the fourth set. The Panthers jumped out to a 13-7 lead and never lost control. QU cut the lead to four, but that is as close as they would get. KWC went on to take the set 25-19, forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
The competitiveness reached its peak in the final set with seven ties and four lead changes. QU grabbed a two-point lead after two kills from Sarah Brown and Alaina Rothermich. KWC used timely offense to score the next four points and take a 14-12 lead. The Hawks did not go down easy, scoring the next two points to tie it up. QU was unable to score again as the Panthers gathered the next two points to close out the match.

Game 1 Stat Leaders
Stephanie Mizeur - 15 kills
Emily Rehagen - 14 kills, 13 digs
Makayla Knoblauch - 43 assists, 12 digs

Game 2 Stat Leaders
Sarah Brown - 21 kills
Emily Rehagen - 16 kills, 12 digs
Makayla Knoblauch - 54 assists, 16 digs

QU's Record
9-13, 3-4 GLVC

Next up for the Hawks
Quincy concludes Crossover play tomorrow (Hawktober 19) as they take on Northwood University at 1 p.m. (ET).