INDIANAPOLIS – The Eastern Michigan Eagles were the more efficient offensive team in its match with the IUPUI volleyball team Saturday afternoon and the Eagles came away with the 3-0 win over the Jaguars.
The Eagles collectively hit .340 making just nine errors in 100 attempts, while the Jaguars made 18 attack errors in addition to eight serving errors and three receiving errors.
Kaitlyn Hickey led IUPUI with 15 kills and
Gabby Fisher came off the bench to put down 10 kills.
Logan Walling had eight kills and hit .667, but it wasn't enough for the Jags as EMU had four players hit above .350 in the win.
The Eagles got off a hot start in the first set hitting .556 through the first half of the set helping them take a 16-10 lead. The Eastern Michigan lead grew to eight at 20-12, but a kill from
Gabby Fisher ignited a brief three-point surge that brought IUPUI within five, 20-15. Unfortunately, the Jags couldn't get any closer as EMU closed out an impressive 25-17 first-set win.
The Jaguars remained out of sync early in set two falling behind 7-1, but a block from Walling and
Kelly Wachtel kickstarted a rally that inched them within two at 11-9. Consecutive kills by Hickey later in the set brought IUPUI within one at 19-18, but an Eagles kill followed by another kill on an over pass widened that margin back to three, 21-18. Still down by three, kills from Wachtel and Fisher coupled with an EMU error evened things at 22-22 forcing an Eagles timeout. Unfortunately, two Cassie Haut kills and a Jags attack error resulted in EMU taking the second set, 25-23.
The Jags came out more aggressive in set three, but multiple IUPUI errors took a two-point Eagles lead and grew it to six, 17-11. Four kills from Hickey helped bring the Jaguars within two at 20-18, but again the Eagles were able to widen their cushion to four at 23-19. That four-point cushion stayed in tact as EMU closed out the 25-21 third-set win for the sweep.
The Jaguars finish the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday against West Virginia.
