BABSON PARK, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team extended their winning streak to nine matches on Saturday, taking a Sun Conference victory in Babson Park over the Warriors of Webber International University. The Gyrenes were victorious in four sets, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23, to earn their seventh consecutive win over the Warriors, a streak dating back to the 2019 season. It also marked the first 2-0 Sun Conference start in nine years for the Gyrenes.

Webber took the opening set from the Gyrenes on their home floor, thanks to a pair of big runs. After trailing 5-4 in the opening moments of the match, the Warriors ripped off the next six points, and went on a 8-1 run to take a 12-6 lead. After AMU cut that lead to 12-10, Webber bounced back with five of the next six points to extend the lead back to six points. The Gyrenes would get back within 23-22, but back-to-back blocks from the Warriors closed out the set. 

The Gyrenes responded forcefully in the second set, as AMU never trailed en route to a 25-20 win, evening the match at one set apiece. Ave Maria scored five straight points after Webber took the first two of the set, and did not trail for the remainder of the frame. The Gyrene block forced the Warriors into nine errors in the second, while racking up 14 of their own. 

Ave Maria continued their strong play in the third set, rolling to the most decisive set victory of the day at 25-15. AMU raced out to a 14-4 lead in the third set, and led by as many as 12 points before a Cabriella Bouterse kill concluded action and gave Ave Maria a 2-1 lead in the match. The Gyrenes put up a .333 attack percentage during the third, ending play with a kill on 16 of their 25 points. 

In the fourth set, Ave Maria had to come from behind to keep the Warriors from forcing a fifth set. Webber held leads of 19-16 and 20-17 in the closing moments, but the Gyrenes proceeded to score five straight points to pull ahead 22-20. After Webber rallied to tie the match at 22, Ave Maria scored three of the final four points of the match, clinching their ninth win of the season on a Warrior service error.

Madelyn Haut had a standout performance in the second conference match of the season. The three-time All-Conference middle blocker led the Gyrenes with 16 kills and six blocks, and posted a .467 attack percentage. Abigail Costlow and Cabriella Bouterse also added ten kills, while Katie Grose (23 assists, 12 digs) and Lily Witkoski (19 assists, 13 digs) both had double-doubles. Victoria Schein was also in double figures with a game-high 16 digs.

AMU will look for their first 3-0 conference start in program history on Wednesday, when the Gyrenes return to Donahue Gym for a meeting with the Fire of Southeastern University, who defeated Warner University and fell to Keiser University in the first week of the regular season. Opening serve from Ave Maria is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.