SDSU 3, IUPUI 2

BROOKINGS, S.D. – The IUPUI volleyball team looked poised to open Summit League play with an impressive road win after winning the first two sets, but South Dakota State responded by winning the final three sets to defeat the Jaguars 3-2 Friday evening at Frost Arena.

The loss snapped IUPUI’s three-match winning streak and dropped the Jags to 5-7 overall and 0-1 in league play, while SDSU improved to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in conference action.

“We got off to a great start winning the first two sets and held a lead in the third set,” said head coach Steve Payne. “We had our chances to win the match and we just didn’t execute. When you are on the road you have to capitalize on your opportunities and hopefully we can learn from this as we move on to a tough North Dakota State team tomorrow.”

IUPUI struggled in the early stages of the opening set falling behind by as many as six points, 16-10, midway through the set. However, the Jags began a furious comeback as a Bethany Fogler kill and ace kick started a five-point run that brought IUPUI within a point, 16-15. Following a SDSU kill, kills by Moriah Fair and Kelsey Hoefer, a Jackrabbits attack error, and an Alexis Meeks service ace catapulted the Jaguars on top, 19-17, forcing SDSU to burn a timeout. Down the stretch, some South Dakota State miscues coupled with kills from Hoefer and Kalyse Reimbold completed IUPUI’s 25-21 come-from-behind opening set win.

The second set was back-and-forth from start to finish with 11 ties occurring throughout the set. Both teams continued to exchange side outs before a kill by Fogler followed by a SDSU attack error placed IUPUI on top 24-21, and on the door step of taking a two sets to none advantage. After the Jackrabbits avoided two set points, a set-ending kill from Fogler pushed IUPUI to a 25-23 second-set victory.

Out of the intermission, the Jags continued to play well taking an early four-point cushion, 8-4, before SDSU captured six of the next seven points to jump in front, 10-9. With the score tied at 13, a mini four-point surge by the Jackrabbits gave them the upper hand at 17-14, but IUPUI refused to go away as a solo block by Meeks switched the momentum allowing the Jags to knot the score at 21. Unfortunately, two IUPUI attack errors helped the Jackrabbits win set three, 25-21, sending the match to a fourth set.

The Jaguars seized control of the fourth set early receiving multiple kills from Fogler, Hoefer, and Lindsey Weber as it took a 12-7 lead. Similar to the third set, a lengthy Jackrabbits run reversed the tides with SDSU winning 12 of the next 13 points to take a 19-13 lead. The Jags closed within three points twice, but it wasn’t enough as a 25-21 South Dakota State win moved the match to a decisive fifth set.

The momentum gained from winning sets three and four carried over into the fifth set for SDSU as it jumped out to a 7-1 lead. It didn’t take long for IUPUI to close its deficit using a kill by Hoefer and a pair of kills by both Weber and Fogler to bring the score to 8-6, but the Jackrabbits countered with seven consecutive points to close out the match winning the fifth set, 15-6.

Fogler led the Jags with a career-high 17 kills while hitting .441, and Hoefer also finished in double-digits in kills with 11. Four Jags concluded the match with double-figure digs led by Shari Bernhardt’s 29 digs. Ellyn Jones added a career-best 16 digs in the loss.

The Jaguars continue their road trip on Saturday, Sept. 17, when they travel to preseason conference favorite North Dakota State, who opened its conference campaign with a three-set win over Western Illinois Friday evening. The match is set to start at 8 p.m. ET.