CHARLESTON, Ill. – Making good use of their exhibition opportunity with the Panthers, the IUPUI volleyball team opened up its 2017 festivities by capturing a wild 3-2 victory (25-17, 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 15-12) over Eastern Illinois Saturday (Aug. 19) in the Jags lone exhibition match prior to the start of the regular season. 
 
Gabby Fisher led all players on the day with 15 kills on a .195 swing percentage, adding two digs while playing in four out of five sets.  Two-time All-Summit League selection Kori Waelbroeck and former Summit League Player of the Week Abby Boatman both found a groove offensively, each swinging over .300 on the day while picking up 10 kills apiece.  Waelbroeck had the Jags lone double-double with 11 digs while Boatman imposed her will in the middle, tallying six blocks with one solo. 
 
Newcomers Maggie Gibson and Rebecca Schlechte both had opportunities to quarterback the offense, as Gibson led the Jags with 30 assists and a mighty four service aces against the Panthers.  Schlechte added 17 assists with seven digs and two kills in just two sets played, demonstrating the potential depth the Jags will enjoy at the setter position this season.  Jessica Helms returned to lead the backrow, shoveling a team-high 15 digs in the contest with a pair of assists.  In total, the Jags sent 13 players into the match, allowing both seasoned veterans and newbies alike to get reps before regular season action begins next week.
 
Elizabeth Scott had a hot-start in the first set, smacking a pair of kills as part of a 6-1 IUPUI run to gain the early advantage.  Despite getting four of their next five points via kills, the Jags saw a string of mistakes create an opening for the Panthers.  A service error, setting error and two mishaps on the attack allowed EIU to tie the game at 11-11, eventually working their way to a 14-16 lead.  Three kills by Boatman highlighted a seven-point stretch, as IUPUI bounced back to take a 21-16 lead.  A service error was the lone blemish for the Jags in closing, as another four-straight points made it an 11-1 run as IUPUI closed out the first set, 25-17. 
 
Another quick start handed IUPUI its second 6-1 lead to open up a set, as Gibson picked up two of her four aces before the Panthers came fighting back.  Five mistakes by the Jags narrated an eight-point stretch by EIU, as the home team stepped up to hold a 6-10 lead.  A pair of Boatman kills and two services aces from McKayla Wright laid the blueprint for a 6-1 IUPUI stretch, as the Jags went up 12-11.  They'd later enjoy a seven-point run which included two kills from Maddie Dean, at the time pushing the score to 20-15.  An attack error eventually gave way to a set-point, as Boatman delivered the set-closing point on a kill, 25-21.
 
Giving the second-team most of the reps over the third and fourth sets, the Jags saw the match swing to a deciding fifth set, in which IUPUI came out ready to pounce.  Fisher, Waelbroeck and Haley Hoffman went back-to-back-to-back with a kill each to start the frame and build a 3-0 lead.  The Panthers saw a mistake-riddled stretch plague their comeback efforts, as Boatman eventually whittled out a pair of points on a block and a kill.  Fisher and Hoffman each delivered attack daggers before Gibson set up Fisher to deliver the final nail in the coffin, a decisive kill shot that settled the fifth set, 15-12. 
 
With the victory, IUPUI will now look to utilize the learning opportunity as it prepares to open the season in Fort Myers, Florida at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament.  The Jags will open the season Friday (Aug. 25) as the team battles Georgia Southern at 4:30 p.m. EST.  Live stats will be available for the match with full post-game coverage available following the conclusion of action.
 
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