INDIANAPOLIS -- Three IUPUI volleyball players turned in double-doubles as the Jaguars posted their highest hitting percentage since September in their four-game win over UMKC Saturday night in The Jungle.
IUPUI (13-16, 6-9 Summit) was led by senior Devika Bellamy, who matched her season high with 21 kills. Bellamy also had 11 digs, missing a triple-double by two assists to help IUPUI hit .305 with 73 kills and just 15 errors.
Sophomore Hillary Houston had 11 kills and 15 digs, while fellow sophomore Danielle Goodnight contributed 53 assists and 16 digs.
The Jaguars used a reactive defense throughout the match, as IUPUI had their fourth-best digging match of the year. Four Jaguars, led by junior Chelsea Bastin with 25, had 10 or more digs.
IUPUI came out sharp in the opening game, tallying 15 kills with no attack errors. The Jaguars only had four errors the entire game, as they blitzed UMKC, 30-17.
As well as the Jaguars played in game one, they struggled with communication in game two, opening holes on the court for the Kangaroos.
UMKC (5-27, 2-14 Summit) opened up a 12-5 lead, forcing IUPUI into an early timeout. While the Jaguars attempted to come back, they could not get over the hump, coming within five points just once, at 28-23 before falling, 30-24.
After the ten minute break, IUPUI found their form from the first game, recording just four attack errors in 51 attempts while hitting .314. Goodnight and Bellamy exploded in the game, posting 14 assists and seven kills, respectively.
With the score 10-9, Goodnight helped the Jaguars take nine straight points, stretching the IUPUI lead to 19-9. The teams traded points until the Jags took the final four points on the serve of sophomore Rachel Holmes to win, 30-18.
Leading two-games-to-one, IUPUI hit .360 in closing out UMKC, 30-20. The Jaguars gradually broke open a close game, using a 6-2 run to go up, 21-15. IUPUI continued their roll down the stretch, outscoring the Kangaroos, 9-5, to take the game and match.
The win helped IUPUI match their season-best three-game winning streak.
IUPUI will look to extend their winning streak in their finale, as the Jaguars will look to send their seniors out in style when they host in-state rival IPFW. The action from The Jungle will begin at 3 p.m.
