INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI volleyball team (11-14, 7-3) came through with a signature win Sunday (Oct. 23) on a noteworthy afternoon, dropping South Dakota State (3-18, 2-8) in straight-sets (25-20, 25-14, 25-##) to stretch their win-streak to five in a row.  The victory came after Head Coach Steve Payne was honored prior to the start of the match for his 20 years at the helm of the program.
 
The Jags were led by Kori Waelbroeck and Elizabeth Scott, each tallying 10 kills in the match while hitting above .300.  Alexis Mapes had 32 assists and 10 digs in a double-double effort, while Logan Walling was a bully at the net, logging four solo blocks and four block assists.  Abby Boatman added six total blocks, as the Jags combined to pick up 15 blocks to just three for South Dakota State.  The team hit .358 for the match, slowing the Jackrabbits to a .058 clip.  Gabby Fisher added seven kills and six digs for IUPUI.
 
Wasting little time in trying to break away, the Jags broke a 5-5 tie on three straight kills, including one from Scott and two from Boatman, to grab a lead.  The run came as part of a 5-1 stretch in favor of IUPUI, as the Jags added two more kills from Mapes and Fisher.  Up 10-6, the Jags continued to flourish offensively, as the team hit .625 through the first 25 points, cruising to a 15-10 lead.  After back-to-back points by the Jackrabbits slowed the momentum, a solo block by Boatman recaptured the Jags edge, as IUPUI went off on a 3-0 run to take a 19-12 lead.  A block, two kills and an error keyed a 4-0 run by the Jackrabbits, as Coach Payne was forced to burn a timeout.  A 5-4 exchange would give IUPUI a set-point, as at 24-20, an error on the attack by SDSU gave the Jags the first set.  The Jags finished the set hitting .357, picking up 14 kills to four errors.  Waelbroeck led all Jags in the first set with five kills, while Boatman added four on a .600 clip.  IUPUI picked up three blocks in the frame.
 
A flurry of attacks whited out the Jackrabbits defense in a blizzard-like start to the second set, as IUPUI picked up five kills in a monster beginning, jumping out to a 9-1 lead.  The stretch included multiple stellar defensive plays, including a pair of diving saves by Mapes, as well as three blocks from Walling.  Later at 10-3, two kills and a block highlighted a 4-0 run, as IUPUI stretched it to 14-3.  Uncharacteristic of the Jags on the afternoon, an ugly stretch riddled with mistakes after back-to-back points allowed for a 7-2 run in favor of South Dakota State, as the team would jump back into it, 18-10.  The Jags recovered in a big way, igniting a 3-0 run highlighted by a kill from Fisher and a block to reclaim a strong lead.  At 22-11, two more kills from Fisher and Walling would set up a set-point for the Jags, as a service error was the final point in the set, giving IUPUI the 25-14 victory.  Stellar again, the offense clubbed .385 in the second set, with 12 kills to two errors.  Eight blocks highlighted a ferocious showing by the Jaguar defense, as Walling improved to three solo blocks in the match.   
 
Another strong beginning gave the Jags a 5-2 lead thanks in part to three SDSU errors.  A 7-4 run by IUPUI on two blocks and two kills put the Jags out in front by a hefty margin, 12-6.  A 5-3 run in favor of the Jackrabbits allowed the opposition to fight back into it, but at 15-11, IUPUI started a 3-0 run to take another stout lead, 18-11.  Following a timeout by SDSU, a 3-2 exchange stretched the IUPUI lead, 21-13.  Following another Jackrabbit' error, South Dakota State was forced to burn a second timeout, as the team faced a quick elimination in the match.  At 22-13, two kills set up a match point for the Jags.  Walling would end it on an emphatic block, completing the sweep. 
 
The Jags will next face Denver on the road on Oct. 29 in Denver, Colorado. 
 
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