INDIANAPOLIS – IUPUI hung close but eventually fell to Western Michigan 3-1 in the first match for both teams in the 2018 Hampton Inn Invitational on Friday night (Aug. 31).

The Jags (1-4) picked up career nights from Maggie Gibson and Rebecca Schlechte in the close match against the Broncos. Gibson picked up her second triple-double of the season with a career-high 15 kills along with 23 assists and 16 digs. Gibson also led the team with a .361 hitting percentage on 36 attempts. Schlechte has come in to her own as one of two primary setters for the Jags, dishing out a career-high 29 assists to go along with 11 digs for her second double-double of the year.

The Jags had three other players finish with double-digit kills. Elizabeth Scott was second on the team with 14 kills, followed by Haley Hoffman who added 12 and Maddie Dean with 11. On the defensive end, Rachel Hickey led the team with 17 digs and Hoffman added a team-high five blocks. IUPUI finished with a season-high six service aces, led by two each from Elli Gaskill and Rhiannon Schuenemann.

The match turned in favor of Western Michigan in a thrilling third set that was won 33-31 by the Broncos. In a set that was back-and-forth early on, IUPUI took a 21-19 lead after a kill from Dean. Western Michigan roared back to take a one point lead and eventually earned set point at 24-23. A kill from Gibson fought off the first set point but Gibson was blocked on her next attempt to give the Broncos their second set point.

Once again the Jags responded with a kill from Scott but an attack error by Kaitlyn Johnson put WMU up 26-25. A service error tied the set and a block by Hoffman gave IUPUI its first set point. A kill by Western Michigan was answered by another block by the duo of Hoffman and Dean. The Broncos fought off the second IUPUI set point but a kill by Johnson put the Jags back up by one. A ball handling error cost the Jags their third set point but the Broncos couldn't capitalize, putting their next serve out of bounds.

Looking at their fourth set point, Scott was blocked by two Broncos. A Gibson kill gave the Jags their fifth set point but Western Michigan responded with a kill to tie the set at 31. After a Hoffman error gave Western Michigan its third set point, the Broncos responded with a kill to take the 2-1 advantage.

The loss of the third set seemed to take the wind out of IUPUI's sails as Western Michigan midway through the fourth set, taking a 17-13 advantage. The Jags would stay in the set, waffling between a three and four point deficit until WMU scored two-straight points to take a 24-19 lead. With their backs against the wall, the Jags got a kill by Hickey and after a bad set by the Broncos, a block by the duo of Shakana Norfleet and Johnson pulled the Jags within two.
After holding off three-straight match points for Western Michigan, IUPUI was unable to continue the momentum and a kill ended the night.

IUPUI will continue play in the 2018 Hampton Inn Invitational with matches against SIUE and Northern Arizona. The Jags will play the Cougars at Noon and the Lumberjacks at 6:30 p.m.