Crusaders Charge into Fall: Madonna University Athletics Delivers a Strong August Performance

LIVONIA — 8/30/2025

Men's Soccer Kicks Off with a Flawless Record

The men's soccer team had a spectacular start, finishing August with a perfect 2-0 record.[1] Their season opener was a masterclass in offensive power, as they shut out Goshen College in a commanding 9-0 victory on August 23. The Crusaders launched 24 shots, with 17 on target, overwhelming their opponent. Key contributors to the scoring barrage included Ryushin Hirami, Daniel Watkins, and Jhonnier Torres, who each found the back of the net twice.

Just four days later, the team showed its fighting spirit by staging a remarkable 3-2 comeback victory against Holy Cross College. After falling behind 0-2 late in the first half, Madonna rallied with two quick goals from Daniel Watkins to tie the game before halftime. Jin Ogawa scored the game-winning goal in the second half, assisted by Ryushin Hirami, securing the win and keeping their perfect record intact.

Men's Varsity Soccer Schedule

**August 23:** Won vs. Goshen College, 9-0 [1]
**August 27:** Won at Holy Cross College, 3-2 [1]
**August 30:** at Taylor University [2]
**September 3:** at University of Saint Francis (Ind.) [1]
**September 6:** vs. Huntington University (Ind.) [1]

Women's Soccer Grounds a Strong Defensive Foundation

The women's soccer team also had a solid start to their season, finishing August with a victory and a draw.[3] Their season opened with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Indiana University East, a game defined by strong defensive play. Goalkeeper Araya Shulaw was a standout, recording her second career shutout with three crucial saves. The team followed that up with a decisive 3-0 victory over Huntington University, where the offense came alive in the second half. Marlena Ballnik, Alessia Di Nino, and Rylie Cassette all scored in the final 18 minutes of play, while goalkeeper Mackenzie Paul earned the shutout with four saves.

Women's Varsity Soccer Schedule

**August 21:** Tied at IU-East, 0-0 [3]
**August 23:** Won vs. Huntington University, 3-0 [3]
**September 1:** vs. Indiana University Northwest [3]
**September 3:** vs. University of Saint Francis (Ind.) [3]
**September 9:** at Adrian College [3]

Women's Volleyball Navigates a Developmental Month

The women's volleyball team faced a busy schedule of tournaments in August, a period of intensive competition designed to build team chemistry and competitive experience before league play begins. The team finished a tournament with a record of 3-1, including two 3-0 wins. On August 22, the Crusaders swept both the Indiana University Northwest Red Hawks and Clarke University Pride. They split the next day at the Clarke Invitational, securing a 3-2 victory against Saint Ambrose University before taking a 1-3 loss to Waldorf University. In the loss, Kira Buza led the team with 13 kills and Rylie Glass provided 28 assists. The team's roster includes players such as Kira Buza, Caroline Rummel, and Rylie Glass.

Women's Varsity Volleyball Schedule

**August 22:** Won vs. Indiana University Northwest, 3-0
**August 22:** Won vs. Clarke University, 3-0
**August 23:** Won vs. Saint Ambrose University, 3-2
**August 23:** Lost vs. Waldorf University, 1-3
**September 3:** at Lawrence Tech [4]
**September 5:** vs. Bryan College [4]
**September 6:** vs. Indiana University Kokomo [4]

Football and Cross Country Await Their Moments

The football program's 2025 season has yet to begin, with their first game scheduled for September 6 against Olivet Nazarene University.[5] Similarly, the men's and women's cross country teams were scheduled to compete at the Golden Grizzlies Open on August 29, but no official results for that event are publicly available at this time. The men's and women's golf teams are also set to begin their seasons in September.

Football Schedule

**September 6:** at Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) at 7:00 PM [5]
**September 13:** at The University of Olivet [5]
**September 20:** at Saint Xavier University (Ill.) [5]
**September 27:** at RV University of St. Francis (Ill.) [5]

Cross Country Schedule

**August 29:** at Golden Grizzlies Open
**September 12:** at Warrior Challenge [6]
**September 26:** at Siena Heights Invitational [6]

Golf Schedule

**September 2:** at LTU Collegiate Kickoff

Corrections and Pictures

If you have any corrections to this information, please do let me know. Also, if you have any pictures for these events, please send them my way. Thanks!

Sources

[1] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2025

https://mucrusaders.com/news/2025/8/22/mens-soccer-crusaders-shutout-goshen-in-home-opener.aspx

https://goleafs.net/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2025/madonna-university-mich-/boxscore/8221

https://mucrusaders.com/news/2025/8/27/mens-soccer-crusaders-rally-for-victory-against-holy-cross.aspx

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2025/holy-cross-college-ind-/boxscore/14246

[3] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule/2025

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2025/indiana-university-east/boxscore/14263

https://mucrusaders.com/news/2025/8/21/womens-soccer-crusaders-open-2025-season-with-0-0-draw-at-iu-east.aspx

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2025/huntington-university-ind-/boxscore/14264

https://mucrusaders.com/news/2025/8/24/womens-soccer-second-half-spark-lifts-crusaders-past-foresters.aspx

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule/2025

[4] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-volleyball

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2025/waldorf-university-iowa-/boxscore/14348

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster

[5] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/football/schedule/2025

[2] https://mucrusaders.com/calendar

[6] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/mens-cross-country/schedule/2025

[7] https://mucrusaders.com/sports/mens-cross-country

https://www.tfrrs.org/teams/MI_college_m_Madonna.html

https://mucrusaders.com/sports/mens-golf/schedule/2025-26