Box Score

PEORIA, Ill. -- The IUPUI volleyball team captured the program's first tournament title since 2005, claiming the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational with a 3-1 win over Bradley Saturday night at the Markin Center.  The Jaguars lost just one set over the four matches, defeating the host Braves, 25-22, 25-13, 18-25, 25-19.

IUPUI (4-0) had three players tally over 10 kills, while three players also recorded 10 or more digs.  Rachel Holmes did both, picking up her first double-double of the season with 10 kills and 12 digs.  Kalyse Reimbold and Lindsey Weber took home the lions' share of the kills, finishing with 18 and 17 kills, respectively.

"We played well, obviously," IUPUI head coach Steve Payne said.  "It's a great way to start the season, and I'm really happy for our team."

Danielle Goodnight finished the match with a season-high 41 assists to go along with 14 digs, her third double-double of the tournament.  Goodnight capped the evening by being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, as voted upon by the tournament's coaches.

Monica Suding, who had 30 kills, 9 blocks and hit .353 for thetournament earned all-tournament team honors, as did Weber.  In her first four collegiate matches, Weber hit .352 with 47 kills and 7 service aces.

The championship did not come easy for the Jaguars, as the host Braves traded points with IUPUI early on in the first set.  In a set that featured 16 ties and eight lead changes, it was Bradley that opened a two-point lead late in the match, taking a 17-15 lead to force an IUPUI timeout.

After the break, it was the Jaguars who came out focused, taking four of the next five points to open a slim 19-18 lead.  Though the teams would  deadlock at 21, IUPUI used kills from Ashley Johnson and Reimbold to retake a two-point lead at 23-21 and force Bradley's final timeout of the set.  Holmes closed the set with a kill to give the Jaguars a key 1-0 lead.

The second set did not feature the intensity of the first, as IUPUI grabbed the set early and never let up.  Reimbold had three kills as the Jaguars opened the set with an 8-3 run.  Bradley did not come within four points the remainder of the set as IUPUI seized control of the match with a dominating 25-13 win, in which Weber had four of her 17 kills.

Trailing by two sets, Bradley found life in the third set, pulling away from IUPUI midway through the set to build a 16-9 lead.   The Jaguars, who had hit .333 in their second set victory, hit just .128 in the third set.  Conversely, the Braves hit .333 to cruise to a 25-18 victory.

The fourth set featured more of the drama that was found in the first set, with four ties and one lead change.  However, it was the Jaguars that capitalized on the one lead change in the race, never letting up once they seized a 16-15 lead on a Weber kill.

Nicole Ramey followed with an ace on the next service, opening a two-point lead for the Jaguars and forcing Bradley into a timeout.  Coming out of the break, IUPUI took three of the next four points to build a 20-16 lead and seize control of the match.

Appropriately, Weber closed the tournament will a kill off a feed from Goodnight, giving the title to IUPUI.

The IUPUI volleyball program had not won a tournament since 2005, when the Jaguars took home the Dunn Hospitality Aces Invitational on the campus of the University of Evansville.  IUPUI claimed the Wright State Tournament in 1998, as well.

The Jaguars will look to build on their start when they host the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational Sept. 5-6.  IUPUI will host Miami University, Northwestern and Western Kentucky over the two-day tournament.