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INDIANAPOLIS -- A missed rotation.  A loose attack.  A service error.  In a match in which the IUPUI volleyball team had numerous opportunities to collect a win, the little miscues cost the Jaguars a chance at the victory in a 3-0 loss to Valparaiso Tuesday night at The Jungle.

IUPUI (14-8) took Valparaiso (16-6) late into each set in the 21-25, 23-25, 24-26, defeat, missing out on two set point opportunities in the third set.  Ashley Johnson led the Jaguars with a match-high 15 kills while hitting at a .520 clip.

Kalyse Reimbold was the other Jaguar with 10 or more kills, finishing with 10; the Jaguars picked up 66 digs in the three sets, led by Shari Bernhardt's 17.  Rachel Holmes chipped in 15, while Danielle Goodnight and Reimbold each had double-doubles after recording 13 and 10 digs, respectively.

Goodnight had 30 assists to complete the double; the senior needs 194 more assists in her seven remaining matches to become IUPUI's all-time assists leader.

From the opening serve, the Jaguars went toe-to-toe with the Crusaders, who sit atop the standings in the Horizon League.  IUPUI battled back from an early three-point deficit to take a 10-9 lead on a kill from Lindsey Weber, and the teams traded points to 14.

It was Valpo who pulled away with a 4-1 run midway through the set, prompting IUPUI coach Steve Payne to call a timeout with his team trailing, 18-15.  The Jaguars responded, closing a four-point gap after Monica Suding and Holmes teamed up for a block to make it 21-18; Suding and Goodnight met Angie Porche at the net on the next point to bring IUPUI within two points after another block.  Suding came away with another kill on the Holmes' service, forcing Valpo into a timeout.

Unfortunately for the Jaguars, they would record one point the rest of the way, as three straight Crusader kills helped Valpo build a four-point lead.  Though Weber staved off one set point with a kill, a service error handed the Crusaders the set.

IUPUI seemingly put their struggles late in the opening set behind them in the second set, racing out to a 14-9 lead on the strength of consecutive service aces by Holmes.  A Johnson kill gave the Jags their biggest lead of the match, but Valparaiso rallied with kills from Porche and Katie Britton.  After an IUPUI attack error, Payne took a timeout with his team ahead by two in an effort to settle his team.

Though Valpo cut their deficit to a single point, the Jaguars continued to hold the Crusaders at bay, stretching their lead back to three on a kill and a strong topspin service ace from Weber. 

Valparaiso took a timeout to regroup and the 75-second break seemed to focus the Crusaders, who took five of the next seven points to knot the set at 21.  This time, it was IUPUI's turn to come out of the break strong, using a Porche error and Reimbold kill to move within two points of evening the match.

Reimbold's kill turned out to be the last points of the set for the Jags, as Valpo reversed the momentum to take the last four points of the set and stun IUPUI, opening a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

Given eight minutes between sets to regroup, the Jaguars showed no residual effects from their late-set loss earlier, trading blows with Valparaiso throughout the early part of the set.  Neither team led by more than two points at any time in the set, and it was IUPUI who took two points after a timeout to open a 23-21 lead after a kill from Reimbold and a solo block by Johnson.

After a Katie Britton kill gave the Crusaders a sideout, Jenny Pokorny dumped her serve into the net, giving the Jaguars two set points and a chance to stay alive in the match.  Bernhardt's serve was just long, barely missing the line, giving the Jags one more chance to claim the set.

Weber's attack was just wide, knotting the set at 24.  Valpo closed the match by feeding Porche for two kills.

The Jaguars will host South Dakota State on Friday, Oct. 23, with the match beginning at 7 p.m. ET from The Jungle.  The match will be IUPUI's third annual Dig Pink initiative, with the volleyball team wearing pink jerseys in an effort to raise money for breast cancer awareness.  For more information on the match, click here.