FORT MYERS, Fla. - Senior Kori Waelbroeck put down 22 kills and hit .241 for the match as the IUPUI volleyball team opened the 2017 season with a 3-1 win (25-20, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21) over Georgia Southern on the opening day of the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Invitational. After splitting the opening two sets, IUPUI rallied to win the third and fourth to come away victorious. 

"It was good to get the first win of the season with our play at the net being the key," IUPUI Head Coach Steve Payne said. "Fourteen blocks is a good way to shut down a good offensive team like Georgia Southern. Our aggressive serving took them out of their offense, causing us to get some easy balls for us to convert to kills. We still need to be better in our communication, but it was a good win early in the season."

IUPUI (1-0) needed a late rally to seal the opening set as the score was tied at 19 all late. However, the Jaguars rattled off four straight points, including blocks from Haley Hoffman and Maggie Gibson to take control. Senior Gabby Fisher capped the run with a kill and Waelbroeck later helped seal the set with a kill of her own. 

In the second, the Jags led 15-10 and seemed primed to take a decision 2-0 advantage, but watched Georgia Southern surge ahead, thanks in part to some Jaguars' miscues. IUPUI was on the precipice of a 2-0 lead when a Waelbroeck kill made it 24-22, but GSU scored the next three points in succession, including a service ace from Brooke Birch. Waelbroeck kept the Jags alive with another kill, but Georgia Southern countered with back-to-back points to tie the match. 

Waelbroeck's strong service game helped the Jaguars turn a 13-12 deficit into an 18-14 lead late in the third set. Georgia Southern crept within two at 22-20, but strong service from senior Jessica Helms led to a late flurry to finish off GSU.

Waelbroeck continued her torrid hitting to stake IUPUI to a 17-13 lead late in the fourth and final set before GSU pulled even at 17 all. Once again, Waelbroeck's service game and back-to-back kills from freshman Maddie Dean contributed to a five-point run as IUPUI ran away with the match. 

IUPUI closed with 10 service aces and hit .217 for the match. More importantly, the Jaguars' defense held Georgia Southern to just .142 hitting, including marks of .054 and .064 in the third and fourth sets, respectively. 

Lauren Reichard led GSU with 18 kills while Cathrine Murray had 15 kills. Joscelin Morrow had 24 digs in the loss. 

Junior Abby Boatman joined Waelbroeck with double-digit kills, recording 10 while hitting at a .280 clip. Helms had a team-high 16 digs while both Gibson and Elizabeth Scott had 15 each. Gibson had 47 assists and Waelbroeck had three of the team's 10 service aces. Seven different Jaguars had at least one service ace in the victory. 

The Jaguars will continue the two-day event on Saturday (Aug. 26) when they face Florida International and host Florida Gulf Coast. IUPUI will play FIU at 2:00 p.m. and FGCU in the primetime 7:00 p.m. slot.