AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team continued their home dominance Saturday afternoon, winning their 19th consecutive match at Donahue Gym with a three-set sweep of the Warner University Royals. The Gyrenes earned their seventh straight win in the series against Warner, and moved to 7-2 in Sun Conference play. Warner remained winless in Sun Conference play, falling to 0-8.

Ave Maria's most dominant set was the first, as the Gyrenes racked up a .440 hitting percentage, ending 13 of their 25 swings with kills. AMU raced out to a 7-0 lead to start the set, led by three kills from Abigail Costlow. The Gyrenes remained completely in control throughout the first set, never leading the Royals by less than five points after the initial run. AMU also scored the last six points of the set, and clinched a 25-10 first set victory on a Warner attack error.

Warner battled back in the second set, and built a 16-12 lead following a run of four unanswered points. As has been their calling card all season long, Ave Maria found a way to rally and take the set. Trailing 17-15, the Gyrenes ripped off eight unanswered points, powered by three Madelyn Haut kills and two more from Katie Grose. Cabriella Bouterse concluded matters with a kill, finishing off a 25-19 win for the hosts.

Carrying the momentum from their comeback in the second set, the Gyrenes put the Royals away in the third. Grose had two aces in the first seven points of the frame as Ave Maria raced out to an 8-0 lead. Warner chipped their way back into the match, getting as close as one point at 15-14, but the Gyrenes pulled away. AMU finished the match on a 10-2 run, with Haut responsible for the final three points thanks to a block and two kills.

AMU forced 24 attack errors from the Royals, who ended the match with a -.053 attack percentage and just 19 kills. Warner had a negative attack percentage in the first and third sets, only creeping up to .032 in the second set, the closest of the day. Ave Maria had at least ten kills in all three sets, and concluded the day with an attack percentage of .237. 

Haut was Ave Maria's leader on the attack with eleven kills, while Costlow and Bouterse both chipped in with eight. Lily Witkoski and Katie Grose combined for 32 assists in the sweep, and Witkoski posted her tenth double-double of the season with 17 assists and ten digs. In the back row, Victoria Schein led the defensive efforts for the Gyrenes with 13 digs.

The win kept Ave Maria in second place in Sun Conference play, one game behind St. Thomas for the top spot. Ave Maria and Warner have a rematch scheduled for Wednesday, as Saturday's match was originally scheduled for early October but was postponed due to Hurricane Ian. Ave Maria will look to run their winning streak over the Royals to eight matches Wednesday night, with opening serve from Lake Wales scheduled for 7:00 p.m.