INDIANAPOLIS - IUPUI roared to a 3-0 win over SIUE to begin the second day of play at the 2018 Hampton Inn Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 1). The Jags were led by 13 kills from Elizabeth Scott and Maggie Gibson posted a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs. Rebecca Schlechte also posted a double-double with 27 assists at 12 digs.

Rachel Hickey led the back line with 20 digs while freshman Shakana Norfleet posted a career-high six blocks. In total, the Jags finished the game with 10 blocks, four each coming from Gibson and Haley Hoffman.

The Jags defense played a major role in sets one and three when it held SIUE to a .048 and .068 hitting percentage respectively.

Early in the first set, SIUE used a 6-0 run to take an early 10-4 run. Later in the set, IUPUI, down four, went on a 4-0 run to tie the match thanks to four-straight errors by the Cougars. With the score tied at 19, IUPUI took over beginning with a kill by Hoffman. After an attack error by SIUE, an Elli Gaskill ace was followed by another attack error to put the Jags up 23-19. A kill by Maddie Dean gave the Jags set point and SIUE followed with another error to end the frame.

During a back-and-forth set two, neither team took a three-point lead until IUPUI went up 18-15 following an error by SIUE and a kill by Norfleet. Back-to-back kills by Scott kept the IUPUI lead at three and the Jags got a block by the duo of Schlechte and Hoffman, plus a two-straight kills by Gibson to go up 23-17. A block by Hoffman and Scott gave the Jags set point and Schlechte ended the set with a kill.

Set three saw the Jags jump out to a quick lead and take a 9-4 advantage after kills by Rhiannon Schuenemann and Dean. SIUE battled back to within one but a kill by Dean, block by the duo of Gibson and Norfleet and kill by Scott put the Jags back up four. The Jags would maintain the lead until two-straight SIUE points late in the set tied the frame at 23. Looking to close out the match in three sets, IUPUI got kills from Scott and Dean to close out the Cougars.

NAU 3, IUPUI 0

In the second match of the day, IUPUI could not overcome a challenging Northern Arizona team, falling to the Lumberjacks 3-0. Maggie Gibson led the way with 17 kills and posted a double-double with 14 digs. Rebecca Schlechte (34 assists, 13 digs) and Elizabeth Scott (14 kills, 10 digs) also posted double-doubles in the loss. Rachel Hickey led the squad on defense with 25 digs as the Jags finished the night with a season-high 90 total digs, despite only playing three sets. 

The Jags jumped out to a 10-6 lead thanks to a 3-0 run featuring a kill by McKayla Wright, kill by Scott and ace by Elli Gaskill. A kill by Schlechte put the Jags up 13-10 but four-straight points gave Northern Arizona its first lead of the match. The teams would trade points until NAU used a 4-0 run to take a 20-16 lead. When IUPUI got within one after a kill by Gibson, the Lumberjacks scored three-straight to close out the set. 

IUPUI started hot in the second set again with a kill from Scott and an error by NAU gave the Jags a four-point lead. The Jags maintained their lead until Northern Arizona tied the set at 14 and would take the set lead at 16-15. Again the teams traded points until two-straight errors by the Jags gave Northern Arizona a 21-18 lead. After an error by Scott gave the Lumberjacks set point, IUPUI fought off two set points until a kill put NAU up 2-0.

Set three had the teams trade points until NAU took a 10-6 lead after a block error and a service ace. IUPUI fought back and tied the match at 11 with a 5-1 run featuring three kills by Scott, a kill by Gibson. Back-to-back attack errors and another service ace gave NAU their largest lead at 21-14. With the Lumberjacks up 23-17, Scott tried to keep the Jags in the match with two-straight kills but NAU ended the match with two kills.

2018 Hampton Inn Invitational All-Tournament Team
Mary Murphy (MVP) - Western Michigan
Rachel Bontrager - Western Michigan
Meredith Phillips - Western Michigan
Abby Akin - Northern Arizona
Heaven Harris - Northern Arizona
Elizabeth Scott - IUPUI
Rachel McDonald - SIUE