INDIANAPOLIS – A week after setting a school record for blocks in a match against IPFW, IUPUI broke the mark in a five set battle against Oral Roberts (16-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 15-10). The Jags finished with 21 blocks and junior Logan Walling set a school record with 12 total blocks.
 
"It was a little shaky in the first set. I was a little nervous, personally," said Walling. "But we came back and played really hard and I am really proud of the way we finished."
 
With the win, the Jags (19-7, 10-2) take their win streak to five games using the strong defensive performance on an afternoon when the offense struggled, only hitting .239 and finishing with 24 less kills than Oral Roberts.  While ORU finished with more kills they also finished with 18 more errors than the Jags.
 
The Golden Eagles (13-12, 7-5) were led by sophomore Laura Milos, the conference leader in kills. Milos finished the match with 35 kills, more than double that of IUPUI's leader, senior Kaitlyn Hickey, who finished with 17.
 
The difference in the game came by way of the block. IUPUI finished with 15 more blocks than the Golden Eagles (21 -6). Three Jaguars finished with the same or more blocks than ORU did on the day. Walling with 12, and senior Kelly Wachtel and freshman Abby Boatman finished with six each.
 
"We've really been shining in that category, with 19 against IPFW and 21 tonight," said head coach Steve Payne. "Our girls' timing is great and they are setting up a good solid block."
 
"We blocked amazing," said Walling. "We have been working on it a lot in practice. It was a lot about wanting to get the block. Our whole team really blocked well."
 
The 12 total blocks by Walling breaks a school record of 10 blocks in a match that had been held by six former Jags, the last being Bethany Fogler, who did it in 2012. Walling also tied a school record with 10 block assists. She shares that honor with Katie Hahn who set the mark in 2004.
 
"[Walling] had the defense going tonight. That's for sure," said Payne. "Mentally she knows where to go and she is reading the other teams offense and setting up a solid block."
 
IUPUI fell behind quickly in set number one as Oral Roberts jumped out to an 8-1 lead. Offensively the Jags struggled in the set hitting only .176. IUPUI pulled within five at 8-3 but Oral Roberts scored the next five points to take a 13-3 lead. From then on the closest the Jags would come to the Golden Eagles, who hit .424, was seven, as ORU took the first set 25-16.
 
Things turned around for the Jaguars in set two. Neither team hit well, the Jags at .162 and Oral Roberts at .150, but after only having one block in the first set, IUPUI had five blocks in the second. IUPUI jumped out to an 8-4 lead but Oral Roberts kept the match close and used a three-point run to take their first lead of the set at 20-19. Tied at 23, kills by Wachtel and sophomore Kori Waelbroeck gave the Jags a 25-23 set victory to tie the match at one.
 
The Jags looked to take a 2-1 lead in set three, jumping out to a 10-7 lead over the Golden Eagles. IUPUI maintained the lead behind more strong defense, including four blocks, to take a 21-17 lead. Oral Roberts would tie the game on a 5-1 run at 22 but the Jags would earn a set point at 24-23 after an ORU service error. The Jags were not able to capitalize on the opportunity though, allowing the Golden Eagles to win the next three points and take set three 26-24.
 
Hoping for a spark, Payne turned to the freshman Boatman in the third set and Boatman delivered with 6 blocks on the afternoon including four in the fourth set.
 
"We needed somebody to come in and see if we could get a few more blocks," said Payne. "We know Abby is pretty dynamic at the net with the block. We thought we would give her a try and she came through for us."
 
Needing to win set four to stay alive in the match, IUPUI found itself down early, 13-8. The Jags would battle back behind their defense with blocks from sophomore Gabby Fisher, Walling and Boatman to tie the set at 17. With the match tied at 20, the Jag defense stepped up again, as three of the next six points for IUPUI came via the block, including the last two points of the set, blocks by Boatman, Wachtel and Hickey, to give the Jags a 25-22 set win.
 
With the match on the line, set five was back and forth until the score was tied at nine. Logan Walling would take control with back-to-back blocks to give the Jags a two-point lead. That was all IUPUI would need as three ORU errors and a Walling kill gave the Jags the 15-10 fifth set victory.
 
IUPUI will hit the road for their next two matches. The Jags will be in Denver to take on the Pioneers, Friday, Nov. 6 (9 p.m.) and will head to Fargo to take on North Dakota State, Sunday, Nov. 8 (2 p.m.).