SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The IU Indy volleyball team split a pair of matches Friday on the opening day of the Roadrunner Classic, defeating East Texas A&M, 3-1, before falling to Gonzaga, 3-2, at the Convocation Center.
The Jaguars opened the day with a four-set victory over East Texas A&M, rallying from a second-set setback to take the match 25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 29-27.
Jillian Tippmann led the Jaguars' offensive attack with 22 kills, while
Bailey Sinish added 16 kills and
Amanda Stephens finished with 13. IU Indy hit .287 as a team and recorded 68 kills across the four sets.
Grace Purichia directed the offense with 50 assists while adding four kills, four service aces and 12 digs.
Laura Roeder paced the defensive effort with 15 digs. IU Indy also received a strong contribution from
Chloe Macias, who recorded seven kills without committing an attack error.
The Jaguars took control late in the opening set, turning a 21-21 tie into a 25-23 win. After East Texas A&M answered with a 25-17 victory in the second, IU Indy responded by hitting .265 in the third set and closing out a 25-22 win.
The fourth set proved to be the most dramatic of the afternoon. The teams battled through eight ties before IU Indy finally prevailed, 29-27, with Stephens delivering the match-clinching kill.
Later Friday, IU Indy battled Gonzaga in a five-set thriller, ultimately falling 16-25, 27-25, 25-21, 24-26, 11-15.
The Jaguars overcame a slow start to take the second and third sets and seize a 2-1 lead. IU Indy hit .355 in the second set and .393 in the third, with Tippmann and Patterson providing key offensive production.
Tippmann once again led the offense with a18 kills while Patterson added 16. Purichia finished with 50 assists, and Roeder contributed 10 digs and three service aces. Tippmann also recorded two aces.
After Gonzaga forced a deciding fifth set by taking the fourth 26-24, the Jaguars stayed within striking distance early in the final frame before the Bulldogs pulled away for the 15-11 victory.
IU Indy finished the match with 65 kills and a .211 hitting percentage. The Jaguars also recorded 46 digs, six service aces and three total blocks.
With Friday's split, IU Indy moved to 4-5 on the season. The Jaguars will continue play at the Roadrunner Classic on Saturday with a 2:00 PM ET match against UTSA.
