INDIANAPOLIS -- Utilizing a balanced attack and a swift defense, the IUPUI volleyball team captured momentum following the first game and never looked back, sweeping Oakland, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at The Jungle.
IUPUI (12-16, 5-9 Summit) recorded 69 digs in the three games, with junior Chelsea Bastin leading the way with 22. The 22 digs by Bastin were the sixth-highest total in a three-game match in school history.
Three Jaguars, seniors Devika Bellamy and Carol Newell and sophomore Hillary Houston, all had double-digit kills, tallying 14, 10 and 11, respectively.
In the opening game, the Jaguars used a 9-0 run midway through the contest to take control. IUPUI took eight straight points on the serve of sophomore Danielle Goodnight to turn an 8-12 deficit into a 17-12 lead.
However, Oakland (7-20, 3-11 Summit) battled back to tie the game at 22 following an IUPUI attack error. A kill by Houston tied the game at 27, and following a Golden Grizzly error, the Jaguars were able to open up a two-point lead, where a kill by Newell gave IUPUI a 30-28 win.
In game two, the Jags were able to turn around an early deficit into a lead with an 8-1 run. An attack error gave Oakland an 11-8 lead, but IUPUI picked up a side out on a Golden Grizzly attack error and then reeled off two more points to tie the game at 11. Just after Oakland picked up a point, IUPUI took the next five points, four on the serve of sophomore Rachel Holmes, to force an Oakland timeout.
OU got no further than three points after the timeout, as IUPUI stretched their lead to as many as six points as they held off Oakland to win, 30-25.
Following the eight-minute intermission, the two teams traded points until IUPUI used a 4-1 run to open a 14-8 lead, forcing Oakland to burn a timeout. The one-minute break did not stop the Jaguars' momentum, as they increased their lead to 19-10 after a Bellamy kill to cause Oakland to use their last timeout. Still, sophomore Monica Suding delivered a service ace after the timeout to push the lead to 10.
The closest IUPUI allowed Oakland to creep was eight points, as they closed out the match with a 30-21 win.
IUPUI will look to extend their winning streak when they host UMKC on Saturday, November 10. The action from The Jungle will begin at 7 p.m.
