St. Bonifacius, MN — Crown volleyball opened Homecoming weekend with energy, intensity, and a packed gym on Friday night, sweeping North Central University in straight sets to begin UMAC play 1-0.
With the bleachers full and a deafening student section creating a playoff-like atmosphere, the Polars fed off the crowd from the opening serve and never looked back. Crown controlled the match from start to finish, winning all three sets by double digits, 25-14, 25-14, and 25-13.
The Polars set the tone early with aggressive play and never allowed the Rams to find much rhythm. Delaney Boone led the attack with 10 kills, while fellow middle hitter Madilyn Smith added seven kills to give Crown a strong and steady presence at the net. Crown also found a big spark from the service line, where veteran Alyssa Heagney delivered four aces. At the net, the Polars continued to shine defensively. Boone and Smith each recorded two blocks, while Kate Stevenson added three more. Stevenson also split setting duties with Faith Sperl, as the pair combined for 28 assists in a balanced offensive effort.
Backed by a loud Homecoming crowd and one of the best atmospheres of the season, Crown improves to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in UMAC action. Crown will return to the court on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when it hosts the University of Minnesota Morris for its next contest.
