CLEVELAND - The IUPUI volleyball team had its first road test in Horizon League play, taking on two-time defending champion Cleveland State. Despite a strong start, the Jags could not keep up with the high-powered Viking offense, falling in four sets, 3-1. 

IUPUI (6-10, 2-1 Horizon) was led by senior Kori Waelbroeck, who finished with a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs. Elizabeth Scott (11 kills, 12 digs) and Maggie Gibson (39 assists, 15 digs) also posted double-doubles for the Jags. Gabby Fisher posted 10 kills and Jessica Helms had a team-high 19 digs.

Cleveland State (9-5, 2-1 Horizon) came in to the game as the top offense in the Horizon League with a .269 hitting percentage and the Viking offense overpowered the Jags, finishing with 20 more kills (65 to 45) and hitting .233 to IUPUI's .170.

Cleveland State's Gina Kilner posted a triple-double with 10 kills, 14 digs and 46 assists while three other Vikings finished with double-digit kills. Trinniti Hall and Sara Skeens had a team-high 15 and Alexis Middlebrooks added 12. 

The Jags jumped out to an early lead in set one taking an 11-4 lead after a service ace by Helms. Cleveland State would get as close as three during the set but IUPUI had an answer for each Viking rally, eventually taking the set 25-20. Waelbroeck led the Jags with five kills and a .400 hitting percentage in the set.

"I thought we came out in the first set and really took control," said head coach Steve Payne. "We took Cleveland State out of their offense and were able to run ours."

After holding Cleveland State to a .103 hitting percentage in the first set, IUPUI's defense faltered in set two, allowing the Vikings to hit .320 on their way to a set two win to tie the match heading in to the half. The Jags had cut the Viking lead to 15-13 in the middle of the set but Cleveland State strung together six-straight points to take the commanding lead in the set.

Set three started out back and forth with the Jags pulling within two at 7-5. After run from the Vikings, IUPUI went on a run of its own, capped by a kill by Gibson to make the score 11-8 in favor of Cleveland State. 

The Vikings then used a 4-0 run to take control of the set and the Jags never got within five the rest of the way as Cleveland State took set three with a score of 25-15. IUPUI hurt its own cause in the third set committing eight attack errors to only eight kills in the third frame.

The fourth set started in the same fashion as the previous two, with Cleveland State jumping out to a 12-6 lead. This time the Jags battled back tying the set at 17 after a kill by Scott and taking an 18-17 lead after a Viking error. Cleveland State went on a 5-2 run but a kill by Haley Hoffman and block by Waelbroeck brought IUPUI back within one.

In the end, the rally fell short as the Vikings would score three of the final four points of the set to earn the 25-22 set win and the 3-1 match victory.

"Cleveland State's offense over powered us but we made a good comeback in set four, just couldn't pull it out," said Payne. " We did some really good things at times and hopefully we can put it all together tomorrow."

The Jags are back in action Saturday (Sept. 30) as they travel to Youngstown, Ohio to take take on Youngstown State. The match against the Penguins is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.