Box Score
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INDIANAPOLIS – In front of a record-setting crowd at The Jungle, the IUPUI volleyball team earned the program's first victory over Indiana defeating the Hoosiers, 3-1 (25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18), Wednesday evening.

Not only did the Jags pick up their first win over the Hoosiers Wednesday night, but they handed Indiana just its second loss on the season while improving to 5-7.

"The crowd was amazing. All the students that came out - all the fans – just energized our girls so much and they loved it," head coach Steve Payne said. "To win against a Big Ten program, especially IU, is a great win. The girls worked hard and deserve that."

Two of IUPUI's five wins this season have now come against in-state foes Indiana and Notre Dame.

"We're playing bigger teams than we've ever played and we're really showing that we can stand and compete with these teams – not only compete but beat them," Kaitlyn Hickey said. "That's going to help us when we get to that conference time and play against Summit League teams."

Hickey led the Jags with 11 kills and added eight digs, while Kelly Wachtel added nine while hitting at a team-high .438 clip. Defensively, Beth Howard led the way with 19 digs and Logan Walling posted six block assists.

IUPUI got off to a slow start in the opening set as Indiana seized an 8-4 lead, but the Jags battled back and jumped in front 13-11 as the midway point neared. After a Hoosiers side out, the Jaguars won six of the next seven points behind an ace from Meredith Farkas and kills from Kori Waelbroeck and Hickey to catapult in front, 20-13.  IU closed within four at 22-18, but a Hoosiers error and a solo block from Wachtel put the Jags a point away from an opening-set win at 24-18. Two Jags miscues inched the Hoosiers within four, 24-20, but a Gabby Fisher kill clinched the 25-20 opening-set win for the Jaguars.

It was a tighter second set with neither team able to gain control, but a seven-point run that was fueled by the serving of Farkas pushed IUPUI in front, 20-12. From that point, the outcome was never in doubt as the Jags cruised to a 25-16 win in set two.

The 10-minute intermission looked like it came at the right time for Indiana as it looked more energized helping it jump out to a 7-2 lead forcing IUPUI to use a timeout. It took some time, but the Jaguars inched within two at 16-14, but just as the Jags made their run the Hoosiers responded with four straight points to take a 20-14 advantage. The Indiana lead grew to 23-15 before a three-point IUPUI run made things more interesting. The Jaguars continued to claw back and closed within three at 24-21 forcing an Indiana timeout, but a kill from the Hoosiers out of the timeout secured a 25-21 win extending the match to a fourth set.

A series of side outs occurred early in set four keeping the score close until Indiana put a short spurt together to go in front, 9-7. Just as the Hoosiers took their lead, a four-point IUPUI run highlighted by a Hickey ace moved it in front, 11-9. The Hoosiers tied the score at 11, but just as the Jags moved their lead back to two, a block from Walling and Waelbroeck and an ace from Farkas doubled the IUPUI cushion to four, 17-13, forcing Indiana to use its second and final timeout. The lead grew to 21-15, but Indiana charged back and closed within three at 21-18 forcing the Jags to use a timeout of their own. Out of the timeout, a kill from Hickey, an Indiana error and a solo block from Farkas moved the Jags within a point of the win. On the ensuing point, Hickey served up an ace to clinch the victory.
 
The 752 fans that showed up on Wednesday set a new IUPUI volleyball attendance record eclipsing the previous record by more than 100 set a decade ago against Indiana. Following the final ace, the student section rushed the court and celebrated the victory with the team.
 
IUPUI plays its final pre-conference tournament this weekend when it heads to Oxford, Ohio, for the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational. In Oxford, the Jags will take on the RedHawks, Ohio State and UAB.