Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In its finale of the Western Kentucky Invitational, the IUPUI volleyball team fell 3-0 to tournament host Western Kentucky as the Hilltoppers collectively hit .398 sending them to the three-set sweep.

The loss dropped the Jags to 6-5 as they head into Summit League play next Friday, while Western Kentucky improved to 9-3.

From the start, Western Kentucky jumped out to a 5-1 lead forcing head coach Steve Payne to burn an early timeout. Unfortunately for the Jags, they could never shrink their deficit below three points. A kill from Bethany Fogler and a block by Fogler and Kelsey Hoefer brought IUPUI within three points at 14-11, but IUPUI could not cut its deficit any further the rest of the way. For the remainder of the set, the WKU lead fluctuated between four and six points and the Hilltoppers eventually took the opening set, 25-19.

The second set was much tighter from the start with the Jags actually taking an early three-point lead before WKU rallied to capture a one-point lead at the midway point, 16-15. Two IUPUI attack errors helped the Hilltoppers go on a quick three-point run opening up a 19-15 lead, which proved to be the difference. A Meredith Farkas kill late in the set brought the Jags back within three at 22-19, but another quick three-point run sent WKU to another 25-19 win.

Out of the break, Western Kentucky continued to play well and used the momentum gained from the first two sets to take a significant lead that reached as many as 11 points at 23-12. Following a side out, two Hilltoppers blocks finished off a 25-13 third-set win clinching the victory.

Fogler led the way with nine kills for IUPUI, while Kaitlyn Hickey posted a match-high 13 digs.

The Jags return home next weekend when they open Summit League play against UMKC and South Dakota. IUPUI begins conference action on Friday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. against the Kangaroos, before finishing its first weekend of league play on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m. against the Coyotes of South Dakota.