INDIANAPOLIS — IU Indy battled Purdue Fort Wayne throughout Tuesday's match but fell 3-0 at James T. Morris Arena. The Mastodons took the sets 25-22, 25-20 and 25-23. Amanda Stephens led the Jaguar offense with 12 kills.
The Jaguars built a 12-9 lead in the opening set, with Stephens contributing consecutive kills during the run. Purdue Fort Wayne answered to even the score at 13-13, and the teams stayed close before the Mastodons pulled ahead late to take the 25-22 set one win.
IU Indy kept the second set level at 12-12 before Purdue Fort Wayne put together a four-point run. The Jaguars responded late: kills from Stephens and Patterson, plus a Purdue Fort Wayne attack error, helped trim the deficit to 21-18 but the Mastodons closed out the set at 25-20.
The Jaguars opened with a 2-0 lead on a Stephens-Tippmann block and extended it to 6-2 with a kill from Maia Long. Purdue Fort Wayne rallied to tie the set at 9-9, but IU Indy stayed within reach. Long and Tippmann helped the Jaguars pull to 22-23 before the Mastodons secured the final two points.
Stephens led the Jaguars with 12 kills, hitting .524, and added six total blocks. Elle Patterson and Jillian Tippmann chipped in six kills apiece while Grace Purichia added 28 assists.
IU Indy will host Northern Illinois on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 PM.
