Box Score

INDIANA, PA – Despite 12 kills each from Danielle Ostendorf (Rockford, IL/Boylan Catholic) and Beth Sova, the Crimson Hawks couldn't keep their rally going in the fourth set as IUP dropped a 3-1 decision to Malone in a non-conference women's volleyball match on Friday evening at the Kovalchick Complex.

The Pioneers jumped out quickly in the opening set, going up 11-3 on the Crimson Hawks. IUP kept the deficit the same, and took four of five points, including multiple kills from Ostendorf and Lauren Hester (State College, Pa. /State College), to cut Malone's lead to 17-10 later in the game.

However a five-point run by the Pioneers would make the score 23-11, before finishing off the set with a 25-13 win.

A kill by Ostendorf and an attacking error on the Pioneers early in the second set tied the score at five-apiece, before three straight points by Malone got it to 8-5. From there the second set would be back and forth, as neither team was able to string together more than two straight points.

After a late serving error on Malone put the Crimson Hawks within four at 21-17, the Pioneers reeled off four straight points to take the 25-17 win.

The Crimson Hawks (7-7) came storming back in set three, making small runs to take a 11-7 lead. After a Malone timeout, the Pioneers took six of the next seven points to take a 13-12 lead, but IUP took the momentum right back, getting kills by Ostendorf, Carissa Miara (Pittsburgh/West Allegheny) and Briana Balcik (Pittsburgh/Plum), and scored five straight to get back on top 17-13.

After going up 20-16, the Crimson Hawks surrendered five straight points to Malone as the Pioneers took a 21-20 lead. Then after falling behind 23-22, IUP came back to score three straight, getting the game-winner on a kill from Ostendorf.

The comeback fell short for IUP in the fourth set, as Malone controlled it from the opening serve, jumping out to a 14-5 lead before closing it out with the 25-14 win.

Carly Kowalski (Corry/Corry) added eight kills offensively, with Miara tallying 39 assists. Defensively, Emily Vaughn (Shippensburg/Shippensburg) had 20 digs.

The Crimson Hawks are back on the court tomorrow as they return to PSAC West play with a match against Edinboro at 4:00 p.m. at the Kovalchick Complex.