Cedarville University Yellow Jackets

March 15, 2021

Hey Jackets!

I want to start off by thanking all of you for following along on our journey this season. It has been a crazy and unique season, but we are so thankful that we were all given the chance to compete for God’s glory, despite circumstances. We are also so thankful for each of you and the support that you constantly give. Unfortunately, we have now reached the end of our season due to the disappointing loss in the semifinals of the G-MAC Tournament, but we are so proud and happy with the success we had this season.

Earlier in the week, we hosted the first round of the G-MAC Tournament. We were the #4 seed and played #5 seed Ohio Dominican on Tuesday night at home. It was definitely a close match, and both teams fought well. Ohio Dominican battled hard, but we were able to pull out the win with a 3-2 match score. The first set we came out strong, with a 25-15 victory. However, the next two sets were extremely close, but we lost each of them 25-23. We were not done fighting, though. We came out stronger in the fourth set winning 25-22. The final set went back and forth, but we stayed determined and disciplined and finished with a 15-13 win. The match was about as close as it could get and we definitely know how to make a match interesting! Though this was a longer night than we expected, we got to work the next day in practice to prepare for the semi-final round of the G-MAC Tournament.

In the semi-final round, we got the chance to compete against the #1 ranked G-MAC team and reigning G-MAC champion, Hillsdale, at their home gym. We were excited about this match because we got the chance to avenge ourselves from the loss to Hillsdale in the previous week. We left for the tournament in Michigan on Thursday. That night we had a short practice in Hillsdale’s gym to prepare for the match on Friday. Friday morning came, and we were definitely ready to compete. We started the day with another morning practice and then got a team lunch before our match. You could see how badly we wanted to be the underdog that came out with a win. It was one of the best matches we have played all season, but, unfortunately, we fell just short, losing 3-2 in the match. The first set, we started so strong and took the win, 25-20. The next set, we made a few too many errors and weren’t able to come back. We lost that set 25-15. Once again, we were not done fighting. The third set, we started with another strong lead, and won 25-21. Though the fourth set was a good fight, we lost 25-23. The final set was an insane tussle by both teams. We were battling back and forth the whole set. Each point was crucial. In the end, the Hillsdale Chargers played well and finished the match by winning the last two points, winning 15-13. What a heartbreaker! However, our team played strong and we were proud that we left everything on the court. We ended the night by having a final prayer with Hillsdale and wishing them well in the championship game. We then boarded the bus and headed back to Cedarville.

Though we didn’t finish with the outcome we wanted in that match, I believe our team is one of the hardest working competitors in the G-MAC. We never give up on a set, no matter what. We fight hard and use our play as an act of worship for Christ. We have a larger purpose, and this week we were able to truly show what we stand for. I’m proud of our team, and am looking forward to what the future holds for us.

I want to thank you all again for a great season and for following along with me on the journey. Starting on Saturday, we will have a mandatory two weeks off from any competition or practices. Once the two weeks are over, we will start our training again in order to prepare for the fall season. It’s crazy that our next season is only 4-5 months away!

(Also, for my personal concussion update, I was able to start exercising again this week in order to get back to full play. It has been a long two weeks, and I’m definitely sad to have missed the end of this season due to injury. I am definitely ready to start getting back to normal again. The “return to play” concussion protocol takes several steps to get back, so I will be working toward that this next week.)

To finish up, I want to end by sharing another verse. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” In whatever we do, we need to choose to do it with the heart of Christ, working for peace and love. When we work to be at peace with others, especially when they have wronged us, we humble ourselves and put God’s desires first. The world will notice when we respond to trials and conflict and even blessings in a way that honors God and desires peace. I encourage you to live each day in full awe, worshiping and praising our King. Walk in obedience to Him and you will live the abundant life He desires for you.

Finally! We will finish the Fun Fact series with our last two freshmen, Lyssi Snouffer and Bailey Ruth. Enjoy learning more about them!

Signing off for now?

With Love,

Maddie Lloyd


Featuring Lyssi Snouffer!!
1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I can throw a boomerang
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? I’d be a setter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Late night team bonding in January before school started
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Australia
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Angel food cake with strawberries
6. What is your biggest fear? Mice
7. What makes you laugh the most? All the little things in life
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? Haha I wanted to be a superhero
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Volleyball
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When my coffee gets cold right after I make it


Featuring Bailey Ruth!!
1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I caught a rabbit in a trash can and kept it as a pet when I was little
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Outside hitter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? When we played the superlative game
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Greece
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Donuts
6. What is your biggest fear? Drowning
7. What makes you laugh the most? My sister, Alexis
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? A veterinarian
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? People chewing loud


March 7, 2021

Hey Cedarville Volleyball Fans!

This past week was definitely one of the busiest weeks of the season, so far. We had three matches this week, including our longest travel day to Nashville, Tennessee. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with a concussion earlier this week, but I was still able to support my team from the sidelines. Although I am disappointed that I can’t practice and compete, I love my teammates and am glad that I could still be a part of the excitement of the week – even if it meant I was wearing sunglasses and hoodies indoors:(

We started the week with a practice on Sunday night to prepare for our match on Tuesday since we weren’t able to use our gym on Friday and Saturday. Because Tennessee is a bit farther, our team left on Monday night. When we got out to the bus, our coaches surprised us with a fancy sleeper bus! It had bunk beds, couches, a bathroom, a refrigerator, and TV’s. It was definitely a fun surprise for our long trip to Tennessee and it was fun to travel in style! Thank you, coaches, for that fun experience.

Our match on Tuesday was against Trevecca Nazarene. We ended up getting our fifth road win in a row, sweeping 3-0. The first set we definitely took care of business winning 25-18. The second and third set were a bit closer, but we were able to finish with a 25-21 and 25-22 win. On our trip home, of course we celebrated with some ice cream and Chick-fil-A! This game definitely helped prepare us for our next match on Wednesday night.

Wednesday night, we got the chance to play Ohio Valley, which was the match that got postponed last week. This was our first home game in several weeks and we were very excited to get a win at our own gym. Though it was a quick turnaround from Tuesday’s match, we felt prepared and ready to play for the second night in a row. We ended up getting the sweep again, winning 3-0. The first set started off a little slower, with a few too many errors, but we pulled out the win, 25-19. The second and third set were definitely some of our strongest sets of the season. We were able to execute well and finish the match strong. We won the second set 25-11 and the third set 25-8. Thursday night we prepared for one of our toughest matches of the season against the Hillsdale Chargers, who are ranked #1 in the conference and #5 in the AVCA DII Coaches Poll.

We came out ready to compete on Friday afternoon against Hillsdale. Unfortunately, we fell just short, losing 3-1 in the match. However, we had some very high moments against one of the best teams in NCAA Division II volleyball. The first set was definitely more of a warmup set for us, losing 25-17. We weren’t going to let that loss stop us, though. We came back and fought hard for the second set, winning 25-23. We were able to keep the lead for the majority of the set which was a huge accomplishment for us. The third set was a good fight, but we ended up losing that one 25-21. Finally, the fourth set was another good fight, but we fell short, losing 25- 20. Though the match didn’t end how we wanted, we were proud of our play that afternoon. There were several moments to be proud of, and we battled the entire match.

This week was definitely long and tiring, but it only prepared us well for next week, which is the start of the G-MAC Tournament. We finished the regular fourth in the conference, and we will be playing the fifth place team, Ohio Dominican, at our own Callan Athletic Center on Tuesday at 7:00 pm this week. We are in a good place to compete in this tournament, and we are excited to see how far we can go!

One Bible verse that stuck out to me this week was I Peter 4:8 which says, “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” This verse is a beautiful reminder of loving our neighbors and enemies like Christ loves us. This week, I challenge you to think of someone who may have been getting on your nerves lately. Pray for that person and find a way to show love to them no matter what. They are a child of God just like you and just like me.

Now, on to this week’s Fun Facts! This week meet the first half of the freshman class, Haley Goff and Abby Kuyper!

Featuring Haley Goff!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I can wiggle the left side of my nose
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Right side hitter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Dancing in the locker room before matches
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Girona, Spain
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Cheesecake
6. What is your biggest fear? Stink bugs
7. What makes you laugh the most? When my friends and I are hanging out in the lounge, playing games
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? Missionary
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Women’s gymnastics
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? Incorrect grammar (specifically good and well)


Featuring Abby Kuyper!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I can only blink. I can’t wink.
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Libero
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Going out to eat and seeing a movie as a team
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Somewhere where there is not a lot of snow
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Molten lava cakes with mint chocolate chip ice cream
6. What is your biggest fear? The ocean (the depth and sharks)
7. What makes you laugh the most? My teammates
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? A teacher
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football all the way!!
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? I have a lot but I would say one of the biggest ones would be people not using their turn signal when changing lanes or turning a corner when driving.


February 28, 2021

Hey Jacket Fans!

We are approaching the end of our season, with one more week of regular season matches. The following week we will be on to playoffs for the G-MAC Tournament. This past week was a very exciting week for us because not only did we officially clinch a spot in the playoffs, but we also were voted 25th to the AVCA NCAA DII Coaches Poll. This is the first time in the program’s history that we have received a national ranking. We are extremely thankful and honored to have received a platform like this so we can continue with our goal of sharing the gospel to teams all across the country. We are also so thankful for the continuous support that each of you have given to our team.

As for matches this past week, we traveled to Lake Erie on Tuesday afternoon. We came out with another road sweep, winning 3-0. The first two sets our team took care of business with a very strong defense which led to a strong offense. We won the first set 25-16 and the second set 25-13. The third set was a bit more of a fight because we started off struggling defensively in the beginning, making it a little difficult to get our offense going again. However, toward the end of the set, we were able to come back to win, 25-23. This was the fourth straight win for our team, and once again, we got to finish the night off with some ice cream on our bus ride home.

We planned to have a quick turnaround, facing our next opponent, Ohio Valley, on Thursday. However, the morning of the game, we were informed that Ohio Valley was no longer able to play due to COVID-19. This was definitely a bummer because we were excited for another day of competition, however, we used the day to improve with a good practice to prepare for our two matches next week. Once again, I am asking you all to not only pray for our team as we finish the season, but to also keep the other teams in our conference in your prayers. Due to another athletic event (G-MAC Indoor Track & Field Championship) being hosted on our campus, we were not able to practice on Friday and Saturday. However, our team stayed diligent and got two good lifting sessions in.

What an exciting week! This week, we will travel to Tennessee on Monday night, to compete against Trevecca on Tuesday afternoon. Friday, we will host our final home game of the season against the #1 ranked team in the country and in our conference, Hillsdale.

To conclude, I read another great verse this week and wanted to share. II Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” He is our safety and our protection. He will never fail us. I am encouraged by this verse because no matter what things I may be dealing with on earth, I always have a Father of hope, protection, love, grace, and so much more. Allow your eyes and heart to be opened to His goodness, and I promise you will see a difference in your life.

Finally, for this week’s fun facts, meet the second half of our sophomore class, Hannah Willow and Payton Krahn!


Featuring Hannah Willow!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? Ever since I was 14 years old I have had my dream job, nursing, specialty, pediatric oncology, and hospital, St. Jude’s Research in Memphis, TN, picked out for my dream future career
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? A Setter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? My best memory would have to be when we went bowling during the crossover tournament last fall
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Uganda or Memphis, TN (because of nursing)
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? I really like cheesecake, chocolate peanut butter things, and gummies
6. What is your biggest fear? I am not really afraid of this but I can’t stand it when there’s roadkill with disintegrating guts exposed
7. What makes you laugh the most? I think I make myself laugh the most, but also my dogs make me laugh a lot
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? When I was little I wanted to be a veterinarian
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? I enjoy watching basketball and volleyball
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve is poor table manners, especially when people talk with food in their mouth or hold utensils incorrectly


Featuring Payton Krahn!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I am ambidextrous
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Libero
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Team dinner freshman year in Chuck's
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Bora Bora
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Strawberry shortcake
6. What is your biggest fear? Being trapped
7. What makes you laugh the most? My family
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? I wanted to work at Sea World and train Shamu and other killer whales.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Basketball
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? Chewing


February 20, 2021

Hey CU Jackets!

This was a very successful week for our team. The week started with everyone testing negative for COVID, and our Head Coach, Greg Smith was finally able to return back to us on Tuesday!

This past week we prepared for two matches, one against Tiffin University, who is ranked #19 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, on Wednesday (due to a weather delay), and a second one against Ohio Dominican University, who is ranked #22 in the same poll, on Friday.

Wednesday, we pulled out a very strong win (3-1) against Tiffin. The first set, we started and finished strong, winning 25-18. Our serve reception and defense held the team together, creating great opportunities for a consistent and strong attack on offense. We fell just short in the second set, losing 28-26. It was a good battle, but we were ready to come back stronger for the next set. Once again, the third set was back and forth with Tiffin having set point a couple of times. However, we won the third set 29-27. Finally, Tiffin made too many attack errors in the fourth set, and we were able to take control, winning 25-19. In each set, we had highs and lows, but we were able to find the mental strength to win the match. This was a very successful night for us, and, of course, we were treated with a post-win treat for our bus ride back to campus!

After the next day of practice, we got back on the road and headed to Columbus to play Ohio Dominican University on Friday. We beat the second nationally ranked team in a week with another 3-1 score. Once again, we started very strong, winning the first set 25-19. Our serve reception has steadily improved with each match this season and is the foundation we needed in order to control the tempo on offense. We only made one serve reception error in the whole match on Friday! We had some inconsistencies and too many errors in the second set, so fell short, losing 25-16. The third set was a back and forth battle again, but we pulled through and finished with a win 27-25. We ended up winning the fourth set 25-20. This match, we were a little less consistent in our execution compared to our last two matches. We had several great moments, but we will need to continue to work on limiting our own errors as we head into the last two weeks of the season and the G-MAC Tournament. Once again, this win was a great accomplishment for our team. We beat two nationally ranked teams this week! While in Columbus, we got delicious pizza and ice cream for the trip back.

This week we will have another busy week of matches. We are playing at Lake Erie on Tuesday, and we will finally be home to play Ohio Valley on Thursday. This weekend we will all definitely need quite a bit of rest to get ready for another long week.

Finally, I want to share a verse that I read this week. John 14:27 says, “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” How comforting is that verse? Nothing in this world will satisfy our thirst for peace, no matter how hard we want it or try to find it. We find our peace through Christ alone. He provides us with this beautiful gift that no other person can provide. Earthly things will fail us. However, God will never, ever fail us. Cling to this truth and find comfort in it.

Now, for this week’s Fun Facts, I am featuring half of our sophomore class! Enjoy learning more about sophomores Mallory Delamarter and Riley Hensley!!


Featuring Mallory Delamarter!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I used to have blonde curly hair and blue eyes when I was little
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Outside hitter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? So hard to pick just one memory! I really enjoyed the DII Crossover Tournament in Indianapolis, IN last year. I loved playing teams from other conferences, and I also loved the team bonding we did (going to the mall and bowling)!
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Hawaii
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Cheesecake
6. What is your biggest fear? Fear of heights
7. What makes you laugh the most? My friends
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? Teacher (I always wanted a job where I could “dress up” haha)
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When people are late


Featuring Riley Hensley!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I used to have a pet gerbil and I got tired of it so I let it go in the forest
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? A setter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Team dinners during preseason
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? I would live in either Hawaii or Turks and Caicos
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Tiramisu
6. What is your biggest fear? Claustrophobia and drowning
7. What makes you laugh the most? People falling
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? To be a nurse
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When people aren’t open minded


February 15, 2021

Hey Jacket Fans!

This past week, we had another unexpected turn of events. Last Sunday, Feb. 7, our Head Coach, Greg Smith, tested positive for COVID 19. Luckily, none of us were in contact with him over the weekend, so we kept with our schedule and got tested on Monday. All of us were negative, so we were free from going into quarantine! I ask that you all pray for our coach as he is recovering at home, while missing getting to be in the gym with us this week. Our assistant coach, Callie Murphy, stepped up as head coach until Coach Smith can return.

This past week, we were supposed to travel to Tennessee on Thursday to play Trevecca on Friday, however, Trevecca was put in quarantine so our Friday match has been postponed to the first week of March. We were still able to travel to Kentucky on Friday for Saturday’s match against Kentucky Wesleyan.

The whole week, we trained and prepared for our Saturday match in practice and lifting. It was sad not having Coach Smith there, however, we enjoyed having Coach Callie work with us throughout the week. Tuesday night, we were able to have a Zoom meeting to catch up with Coach Smith and talk about some goals for our team for the remainder of the season.

Friday afternoon, we had a team practice and quickly loaded the bus after practice for our long drive. We left around 6:30 p.m., and arrived in Owensboro, Kentucky around 11:30 (EST). After arriving at the hotel, most of us went straight to bed to get rest for the match on Saturday.

Saturday morning, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel and departed for Kentucky Wesleyan. It was clear that our team was hungry for a revenge win against them. Last season, Kentucky Wesleyan was the team that eliminated us in the first round of the G-MAC Tournament. This year, we wanted a different result. We had a strong start from the very beginning of the match. Our serve receive and passing was very consistent, which allowed us to be in system most of the match. This led to multiple attack options and strong connections on offense.

Our blocking was also strong, and the team energy was high as a result. We were all engage the entire match, and we ended up sweeping, 3-0. This was a great road win, and, of course, we got to celebrate the victory with Chick-fil-A treats after the match. We loaded the bus and headed back to Cedarville, arriving around 9:30 pm (EST). Spirits and energy were high, and I am hoping that we will carry that momentum into our next away match against a strong Tiffin team on Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Thank you all for following along on our journey so far this season. Once again, I ask for prayers for good health for both our coaching and athletic staff, our team, and the other teams in our conference. I also want to end with some more encouragement for the week. In Scripture, God calls us to a “renewal” of our minds (Romans 12:2), meaning that we are called to trade in our old beliefs, opinions, attitudes, etc. for a new set of beliefs, opinions, and attitudes that comes from the Truth found in God’s Word. God has given us the freedom and ability to choose what we think, say, or do. I encourage you to make the decision to say, “I choose to trust God no matter what.” This means, despite your circumstances, you are surrendering to God and his beautiful plan for you, whether you see good in a moment or not.

Finally, this week’s Fun Facts feature our junior class, Emily Ward, Emily Jastrzemski, and, yours truly, Maddie Lloyd. I am so thankful for these girls and our friendship and am so happy to be part of this junior class! Enjoy these goofy and fun facts this week!

Introducing: Emily Ward!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I love DIY projects
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Outside hitter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? DANCE PARTIES
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Fiji
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Brownies
6. What is your biggest fear? Being alone in a dark house
7. What makes you laugh the most? Grant Young’s jokes
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? Orthopedic surgeon
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When people don’t do what they say they are going to do.

 
Introducing: Emily Jastrzemski!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? Even though I am the oldest of all five of my siblings, I have the smallest shoe size!
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? I would want to be a setter, haha. They’ve got SKILLS.
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Probably either making our Christmas TikTok on the bus, or just all the laughs we have together on the bus, in the locker room, and everywhere else we go together!!
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? On a beach somewhere - doesn’t really matter where, haha. Maybe Fiji?
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? I love anything chocolate. Literally anything.
6. What is your biggest fear? Definitely sharks. They terrify me for no reason. (I think it’s from watching Soul Surfer too many times)
7. What makes you laugh the most? I laugh a TON when I’m just being goofy with the team, and feeling like a total idiot. I love reminiscing on funny moments or embarrassing ones, and our team has PLENTY of them. Also, Abby Kuyper makes me laugh all the time.
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? A famous singer, and I went through a president phase, too.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? I love watching football!!! I have super sweet memories with my family watching football with pizza and wings (Go Bills), so it is still my favorite thing to do on Sundays.
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When people bite their ice cream. I get shivers just thinking about it.


Introducing: Maddie Lloyd!!

1. What is one weird/random fact about you? I have my own art business and am unhealthily obsessed with sweet tea
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? An outside hitter (or middle if I was taller)
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? After most practices, the majority of our team goes to Chuck’s to eat and we always end up being the loud, annoying ones laughing so hard. There are too many memories with the girls that make me smile.
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Somewhere HOT and tropical (Fiji, Bora Bora, Caribbean Islands)
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Chocolate custard…not ice cream…but custard!!
6. What is your biggest fear? Tiny little holes in weird patterns (trypophobia) and spiders
7. What makes you laugh the most? Bryce Wilkerson, my team, my friends back home, and my dad, mom, and brother (and dogs, specifically my dog Berkeley…dogs are so cute and funny)
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? I dreamed of being a famous artist who travelled the world painting
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hmmm, either football or volleyball
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve? Fake or hypocritical people and coughing (haha I know people can’t help it when they cough but it just triggers me)


February 8, 2021

Hey Guys!

Obviously, this season is very different than what we are used to. Our team experienced a bit of that this week. Earlier in the week, on Monday, we had the first member of our team test positive for COVID 19. Even though our team stayed separate from each other over the weekend, our last contact was at one of our practices the previous week, so the whole team was put into quarantine. Though we missed being able to practice together at the beginning of the week, we were able to go in the gym for individual reps. It was definitely hard to be away from the girls during this time, but it was nice getting to catch up on school work and to rest while we were spending the days in our dorm rooms. We were extremely blessed because the rest of the team tested negative on Wednesday and Thursday, so our quarantine ended in time to get two practices in before our match against Findlay on Friday.

After a long week, Friday finally came and we were all thankful to have enough players healthy to play another match. We also were super excited to be back in our home gym. Findlay is definitely a talented team, and, unfortunately, we came up short, losing 3-0. In the first set, we went back and forth with Findlay, trading points throughout the set. We ended up losing that set, 25-23. The next set, we knew we had to step up our game, but unfortunately, we were struggling on scoring our own points and limiting our errors. We lost the second set 25-17. In the last set, we switched a few things to try something new against Findlay, and the last 4-5 points of the match were some of the most exciting points of the night for us. We lost that set 25-18. We had several high moments, including a rally late in the third set when we earned seven points to Findlay’s two points to fight back from a 23-11 deficit. The story of the night, though, was that we created too many errors that ultimately led to the loss. It was a tough loss for all of us, but we are motivated to correct what we need to in practice and be ready to play when we travel to Tennessee and Kentucky on Friday and Saturday to go against Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan.

Thank you all for continuing to follow this blog. We are so thankful for the support and encouragement.

Finally, to finish this week I am going to let you guys get to know our team a little bit more. I emailed all of the girls a series of "Fun Fact" questions for you guys to read and enjoy. This week, I am starting with our two seniors Lauren Willow and Liene Miller. Hope you guys enjoy learning more about two of our leaders.

Introducing: Liene Miller!!

1. What is one random fact about you? Latvian was my first language
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? Setter
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Staying up late in a hotel room my junior year talking about volleyball and a whole bunch of other things with three other teammates.
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? Latvia
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Cookie dough ice cream
6. What is your biggest fear? Nothing
7. What makes you laugh the most? I laugh the most with friends/family about random stuff or inside jokes
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? To be an anesthesiologist
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Volleyball or football
10. What's your biggest pet peeve? People chewing with their mouth open


Introducing: Lauren Willow!!

1. What is one random fact about you? I love to watch Dancing with the Stars. I also love dancing, even though I am terrible at it.
2. If you were to play any other position what would you want to play? I would totally be an outside hitter. I've always wanted to be one but everyone said that I was too tall to be an outside and not a middle hitter.
3. What is the best memory you have had from CU VB so far? Oooo, this is a hard one. For matches, it would be beating Hillsdale my freshman year. For funsies, I thought the fortune passing before each game, plus dance parties, is one of my favorite memories that I share with the team off of the court.
4. If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would you go? I would want to live on a farm so I can look and daze at the stars at night and watch sunrises/sunsets on the porch swing out on my wrap-around porch.
5. What is your favorite kind of dessert? I love dirt pudding; however, anything chocolate is a win for me.
6. What is your biggest fear? I am terrified of mice, snakes and getting a paper cut (lol).
7. What makes you laugh the most? Either going to track meets and hanging out with Nathan Menk and David Entz or the small comments that Lenny makes about good food and her "liking" of people.
8. What was your childhood dream job/career? I have changed my mind over the years. For a while I desperately wanted to be a pediatric nurse practitioner. After a mission trip to India, where I taught in schools, my passion/calling quickly changed to teaching.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Either basketball or football (in person), on TV, my favorite Olympic sport is gymnastics.
10. What's your biggest pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve is when people who have a stuffy nose choose not to blow it, but rather sucks up the gunk in their nose, making a gross and uncomfortable sound for all to hear.


February 1, 2021

Hey Jackets Fans!

Another week of practices and competition. Originally, we were supposed to play Lake Erie on Tuesday, January 26, but it was postponed to a later date due to COVID. So, we were in the gym training every day for our very first match on the road against Ursuline College. Once again, our entire team tested negative for COVID which is such a blessing that we get another week to compete. We had a great week of training and preparation for our match on Friday. We even had our first early morning workout session of the year. We love those 6:00 a.m. morning workouts:)

On Friday, the team got all packed up and boarded the buses at 1:30 p.m. The trip went very smoothly and we made it to Ursuline safely. It was good to be back on those buses again! Our match against Ursuline was definitely a nail biter. We lost the first set 25-18. We were down in the second set but rallied back from a six-point deficit for a crucial 27-25 win! We led most of the way in the third set, but momentum shifted at the end, and we lost 28-26. After an early lead in the fourth set, Ursuline fought back and tied us at 22-22, but we got the next 3 points on a kill and two Ursuline attack errors. The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle, but we got the win with a score of 15-11! It was a long, hard fought win. This week in practice we will definitely be working on minimizing our own errors which hurt us throughout that match. Overall, it was a great night, especially being our first road win of the season.

One of the best parts of road trips is getting to continue our road win tradition. Ever since Coach Smith came to Cedarville, he takes the team out for ice cream or a special treat whenever we win away games. Though it’s not our main motivation, it definitely doesn’t hurt! :) However, because our match went so late, most places were closed, so we will be getting that treat on Monday at Chick-fil-A after our practice. The bus ride back felt long, and most of us ended up falling asleep. We arrived back to campus around 1:30 a.m. and went straight to bed before our workouts the next morning. It was definitely a successful Friday for the CU Volleyball team. We are ready to get after it again this week for our next home match against a tough University of Findlay team on Friday, February 5 at 7 p.m. (Watch HERE).

To end this week’s blog, I want to share some cool thoughts from my Bible reading and devotions this past week. As an athlete, and especially as a human being, we are prone to constantly be thinking about our “performance” because we are consumed by our earthly image and what others may think about us. But this is what I read this week, “We need to stop putting on shows, stop pretending. Sacrifice your image and restore your heart. Stop the show and get real. God does not need our performances to advance the Kingdom of God. But, He does need our hearts.” I hope this encourages and motivates you like it did for me. Performance-based competition and performance-based living will wear you down from the inside out. Let Christ take full control and reign over you.

I am looking forward to talking to you all next week. Make sure to check back in for a new little surprise that I will be adding to the blogs!

Thank you, again, for your support!

With love,

Maddie (#15)


January 25, 2021

Hey CU Volleyball Fans!

After two weeks of preparation during preseason, CU Volleyball finally had our first match in over a year! Our team hosted the match at home, in Callan Gymnasium, against Walsh University, ranked 3rd in the G-MAC Pre-season Poll. Unfortunately, it was a tough loss, with a 3-0 outcome. Walsh University had a strong offense and a very strong defense, and we had some nerves to shake off. There were definitely some key high moments of the match for us, which only makes me excited to see what our team can do this season. Though we fell short of the win, every member of the team was able to step n the court. It was a humbling night, but we are eager to learn from the mistakes in the match and move forward in preparation for our next opponent.

The team spent Tuesday and Wednesday preparing and training for the next match of the week against Malone University, ranked 8th in the G-MAC Pre-season Poll. We were ready to come back stronger and harder to get a win, and that’s just what we did. We had a solid start to the match, and we were able to pull out a victorious sweep, winning 3-0. Malone fought well,
keeping the score fairly close, but we were able to execute what we needed to do to get the victory. It was a strong win for our team, and we are excited to learn and improve on skills and dynamics throughout the next week.

Due to a postponed match against Lake Erie on Tuesday, our team will get a longer week of practice in preparation for our first game on the road against Ursuline College, ranked 10th in the G-MAC Pre-season Poll, this Friday. There are definitely some key things in all facets of the game to continue to improve on this week, and we are excited for another week to grow together.

To conclude this week’s blog, I want to share a little bit of something that has been so encouraging to me throughout this year. I have been doing a lot of reading and focusing on a heart of gratitude. When going through strange and trying times it is so easy to complain and focus on how “annoying” things may be. Instead, I have been pushing myself to really focus on the numerous things that I can be grateful for instead. Psalm 107:21-22 says, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.” Not a day goes by where the Lord hasn’t blessed you in some shape or form. One of my favorite and simple ways to express this is writing things I am thankful for that day. It is a great reminder to me of the goodness of the Lord. Today, I am thankful for the gift of friendship and for the people God has placed in my life at the most perfect times. What is something that you are thankful for today?

Thank you to all who watched and supported our first two matches this past week. We are so thankful for each and every one of you. Tune in on Friday, January 29, for our match at Ursuline College beginning at 7 p.m.!

With love,

Maddie (#15)


January 15, 2021

Happy New Year Jacket Fans!

2020 was a year to remember for sure. Lots of ups and downs, but there were also so many blessings to be thankful for throughout the year. I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us in 2021.

Thanksgiving and Christmas break was a great time of rest for the CU volleyball team. Though we missed getting to come back to campus during that time, we enjoyed the time spent with our friends and family back home. It was a much needed mental and physical break for the team. Though life slowed down a little bit while going home, we all stayed focused on keeping up our strength, endurance, and skill. It was difficult to go to gyms due to COVID restrictions, but we did everything we could do to stay fit and in shape to prepare for the upcoming season. We had to get very creative with our reps :)

The CU volleyball team returned to campus on January 3rd and have been training and preparing for our season since then. The first day we learned about all of the COVID protocols and realized that this season we are going to have to take things one day at a time. As of now, the players and coaches will be tested for COVID within 96 hours before each match. We had our first COVID test on Monday, and the whole team tested negative! We have made it a priority that we will do what it takes to try to stay healthy in order to play this season.

The first week back was tough, but very much needed. Most days, we had two practice sessions, and a lifting session. During that time, we were very thankful for the athletic training staff who has been there with us every step, giving us pre-treatment, post-treatment, ice baths, heat, etc. for all of our sore and aching bodies. I am so encouraged and proud of all of the hard work and effort being put into the practices and lifting weights. You can tell that the whole team is eager to compete again. Unlike most of our fall seasons, we only have two weeks to prepare for our first match. Though we have had a shortened pre-season training, all of the work we put in last fall has really been showing. We are in a great place to start competing and are look forward to how we will grow as the season continues.

With that being said, our very first match of the 2021 season will take place at home in Callan gymnasium on Tuesday, January 19 at 7:00 pm against Walsh University!!!!! We then have another home match Friday, January 22 at 7:00 pm against Malone University. Due to the limited attendance in the gym, we would love all the support possible watching online!

You will be able to tune into our match here!

We continue to ask for your prayers for our team, the other athletic teams at Cedarville, and all of the teams in our conference this season. We ask for you to pray for our health and our wisdom in navigating the semester with classes. We are so thankful for all of the support and prayers.

Finally, I want to end with a little encouragement. No matter what the day, or the week, or the month brings, stay true to who God has made you to be. We are each formed and crafted in His image, with unique abilities and talents. Use those as a way to honor and glorify His name. This year may be difficult like last, but I want you to remain thankful and positive. God provides us with little or big blessings daily. We just have to open our eyes to find them.

I am looking forward to this season and I can’t wait to continue to keep you all updated throughout the semester.

With love,

Maddie (#15)


November 12, 2020

Hey Jackets!

The semester is wrapping up and we are getting closer and closer to our first match, on January 19th, 2021! We are all so excited and counting down the days (68, if you were wondering)! The past couple of weeks have been a little slower than usual.  Due to NCAA COVID regulations, the team had to take a two-week break from any mandatory play or training. Though we missed being in the gym together as a team, it was a necessary break to get caught up on academics, give our bodies physical rest, and have a solid mental break as well. Throughout the two weeks, we still stayed disciplined in our lifting and we even got a couple of days to get in the gym and scrimmage each other on our own, without our coaches.
 
The two-week rest period ended last Thursday, so we were able to squeeze in three more practices to finish off the semester strong. Wednesday night was our final practice of 2020 (which is crazy). Throughout the semester, there has been tremendous growth in the way we play. Looking back to where we were in August, I am so happy to see the development and advancement that we have made by November. Though we have room for improvement, our hard work and training this fall has put us in a really good spot to be strong competitors in the G-MAC this spring.
 
As I mentioned above, our first match to kick off the season will be our home opener on January 19th, 2021 at 7 p.m. against Walsh in our very own Callan Gymnasium. Traditionally, this is a well attended game with a lot hype, and we hope that doesn’t change! We hope to see you in Callan to get our season started well! We are excited to finally compete for Christ after two long seasons of waiting.
 
On another note, our team has remained extremely healthy most of this semester, and we are thankful for that. Unfortunately, within the past couple weeks, a couple of us have had to enter quarantine due to close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID. We are making sure to follow all of the COVID and quarantine guidelines to ensure safety for both the team and the school. Over the holiday break, it is a necessity for us to remain healthy and try to avoid any COVID cases, if possible. We are willing to do whatever it takes to keep our season. We would all appreciate any prayers for the health and well-being of our team as we all go our separate ways over break.

This next week and a half will be full of studying and preparation for our final projects and exams to end the semester. Our team is so diligent in academics and we always give our best effort to keep our grades high. Most of us will be heading home on November 22-24 for the holidays. We will be returning to campus on January 4, which is two weeks before classes start, in order to train for our first match. This semester has been full of ups and downs and the team is looking forward to a nice, long break to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families.

I just want to thank you all so much for following along with me this fall, and I cannot wait to continue to share any updates, stories, and memories next semester. I will be praying for the CU Volleyball family over the holidays and want to encourage all of you to always remember the “reason for the season.” We are blessed daily by our God. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two holidays where we can really focus on showing gratitude to Him and praising Him in all His glory.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!

With love,

Maddie (#15)


October 19, 2020

Hello Jacket fans!

The past two weeks have been filled with lots of practices and training in preparation for the intrasquad scrimmage that we played on Friday, October 16 in Callan Gymnasium. We were so thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to FINALLY get to play in front of a crowd! Let me rewind a little bit and tell you about the process in preparing for this fun and exciting night.

As a way to give our fans an opportunity to watch some actual sports in person, some of the Cedarville teams are getting the chance to compete in intrasquad scrimmages with fans attending, and ours was hosted this past Friday. In order to pick the teams, we held a “Draft Night”. Coach Smith designated the two seniors, Sierra Schuitema and Lindsey (Bray) Milby, as the team captains to carry out the draft. They ended up choosing players by drawing names out of a cup from each position.

The final result was…...................................................................................................
 
Friday night before the match, we were also given the chance to celebrate our two senior setters, who, unfortunately, had their final season of college volleyball taken from them, due to the postponement of the season due to COVID-19. Lindsey (Bray) Milby, a nursing major, is unable to compete with us due to the hours she will have to work in her preceptorship in her final semester this spring. Sierra Schuitema is graduating in December and is therefore unable to compete in the spring as well. Each of these girls has had an incredible impact on Cedarville Volleyball.  They are not only great volleyball players, but are also incredible friends, leaders, and teammates. For me, personally, they were both so kind in welcoming me to Cedarville when I was a freshman, and they have become some of my closest friends in the last three years. They will be deeply missed by me and in the Cedarville volleyball program.

After that celebration, it was time to play! We were all filled with adrenaline and energy from excitement for our match. We finally got to put on our jerseys, we finally got to play for a crowd, and we finally got to play the game we all love (after waiting almost 10 months). Both teams definitely came out to compete, and the competition from each team was strong. We saw a lot of positive things from each player over the course of the night. After an exciting match, the Blue Team took home the victory, winning all three sets. It was super encouraging to see all the hard work and training we have put in this fall come out in “real” match play. The event was sold out at our maximum attendance of 300!  We are so thankful for all of the family and friends who came out to support us or who tuned in online. Thank you!!
  One last bit of news: our regular season schedule is posted!  We hope to see you at our matches in the spring. You can check out the schedule here!