Madison's Streak: Carlini & Co. Climb the Ranks

LOVB Madison isn't just winning. They're rewriting their season.

MADISON TAKES OVER

Thursday night, LOVB Madison flexed its muscles. They overpowered the visiting LOVB Omaha with a 25-16, 25-17, 26-28, 25-16 victory. This wasn't just a win. It was a statement. Madison hit a blazing .450, with 58 kills and only nine errors in 109 swings. That's not just efficient. That's elite.

Head coach Matt Fuerbringer put it simply: "That was just an impressive offensive performance by our team." He wasn't wrong.

CARLINI RUNS THE SHOW

Lauren Carlini, Madison's setter, was a maestro. 50 assists, a killer ace, two blocks, and nine digs. She made sure everyone ate. Sarah Franklin and Claire Chaussee on the left were unstoppable. Franklin's 18 kills came with zero errors, hitting .667. That's second only to Lauren Stivrins' .700 mark from January.

Carlini knows what's up: "The players we have allow me to be creative as a setter... it's really hard to defend us."

DREWS SCHUMACHER DOMINATES

Then there's Annie Drews Schumacher. 19 kills at a .500 clip. She's averaging 19 kills over the last five matches. That's different. That's a problem for opponents.

Madison now sits at 5-7, just a game back from third-place LOVB Salt Lake. They have their sights set on second-place LOVB Houston. The top two teams get a bye into the semifinals of the LOVB Finals in April. Madison's run isn't over. It's just getting started.

Meanwhile, LOVB Omaha drops to 4-7 with a seventh straight loss. Madi Kubik-Banks tried to keep them afloat with 15 kills, but it wasn't enough.

Get ready, because Madison's not slowing down. You could feel it coming.

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Source: LOVB