INDIANAPOLIS – Despite a strong effort, the IUPUI volleyball team fell to the Northern Kentucky Norse on Friday night, 3-2. Freshman Maia Long and Ava Harris led the Jaguar attack with double digit kills.
 
The energy in the Jungle boosted the Jags to their first ever five-set match against the Northern Kentucky Norse in program history. IUPUI dominated the first set, recording a match-high .385 hitting percentage.
 
The Jags went on a 5-1 run to open the first set, forcing an early Norse timeout. While holding a two-point lead, the Jags extended the gap to 13-6 with kills from Long, Grace Purichia and Kate White to force Northern Kentucky's second timeout of the match. The Jags continued their stellar start, earning the first set win at 25-17.
 
In the second set, Northern Kentucky took the lead early and the Jags were running out of points to take. Down 22-15, IUPUI called a timeout before taking back-to-back points with kills from Sidney Veatch and Long. NKU earned a kill before the Jags strung together five points cutting the lead to one at 23-22. With the crowd on their feet, the Jags would collect one more point with a kill from Veatch before the Norse closed out the second set, 25-23.
 
IUPUI hit a slump in the third set, recording their lowest hitting percentage of the match at -.071. The Jags couldn't string together a run and fell, 25-15.
 
With NKU holding the 2-1 lead, the Jags once again found themselves trailing for the majority of the fourth set. Down 23-21, the Jags called a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, Long recorded another kill to give IUPUI some momentum.
 
After a kill from the Norse extended their lead to 24-22, IUPUI closed out the match with four straight points. Veatch slammed down a kill to give the Jags the serve. After a Norse attack error, Veatch earned a service ace to give IUPUI the advantage, then Morgan Ostrowski closed out the set with a kill, 26-24.
 
Despite the electric fourth set comeback, the Norse outpowered the Jags in the fifth and deciding set, sealing the win, 15-11.
 
Long led the Jaguars with 14 kills while Harris added 10. White, Veatch and Emily Alan each added seven kills. Phillips collected 21 assists and 14 digs while Purichia added 20 assists.
 
The Jaguars will next host the Wright State Raiders as IUPUI will celebrate Senior Day, tomorrow, Saturday, November 10 at 4:00 PM.