YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – IUPUI won its second-straight game with a three-set sweep over Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 29).
IUPUI (5-13, 2-2 Horizon) had three players with double-digit kills, led by 11 from
Maggie Gibson.
Elizabeth Scott and
Maddie Dean each finished the match with 10 kills. Following that trio,
Abby Boatman,
Rebecca Schlechte and
Haley Hoffman each had five kills. Schlechte also led the way with 32 assists.
The Jaguars hit .201 as a team, hitting above .200 for the first time in the last six matches. IUPUI held Youngstown State (7-10, 1-3 Horizon) to a .132 clip, finishing with 78 digs and six blocks.
Rhiannon Schuenemann led IUPUI with 19 digs and Gibson, Scott and Schlechte each compiled double-doubles with 14 digs apiece. Hoffman led all Jags at the net with four blocks and Gibson, Boatman and Schlechte each finished with two blocks.
The first set started out close but the Jags took control of set with three-straight points after Youngstown State pulled within one at 15-14. After a service error, back-to-back kills by Schlechte pushed the Jaguar advantage to 18-14. A kill by Scott began the Jags next run later in the set and was followed by a Penguin error. After kills by Boatman and Scott gave the Jags set point, a block by Gibson and Boatman gave IUPUI the first set win.
Youngstown State took an early lead using a 5-0 run to take a 10-6 lead in the second set. The Jags responded with a kill by Dean and a service ace by Boatman. An error by Youngstown State pulled the Jags within one but the Penguins pushed the lead to three with two-straight points. A kill by Hoffman started a run that featured back-to-back blocks by the Jags and another error by Youngstown put the Jags up one.
Each team would trade mini runs as the set went on and a block by the duo of Schlechte and Hoffman plus another error gave IUPUI set point. The Penguins managed to stave off two set points but Gibson closed out the second frame with a kill.
No team had more than a three-point lead for the entire third set and IUPUI looked like it would gain an advantage to close out the set after taking a 22-20 lead with kills by Hoffman and Gibson. Youngstown State looked to extend the match with three-straight points to take a 23-22 lead but Dean ended the run with a kill to tie the set at 23. A kill by Gibson gave IUPUI set point and Scott finished off the Penguins with a kill to give the Jags the sweep.
IUPUI will be back at home in the Jungle to take on Milwaukee on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. The match against the Panthers will be streamed on ESPN+.
