Box Score

INDIANA, PA – Ericka Lentz (Reading/Holy Name) had a game-high 15 kills to help lead IUP to a straight set victory over visiting Shepherd in non-conference volleyball action on Tuesday night at the KCAC.

Lentz scored her 15 kills on 27 attacks with just three hitting errors for a .444 hitting percentage. She added 11 digs and two service aces in the 3-0 win.

The Crimson Hawks held a 9-4 lead in the opening set before Shepherd fought back, going on an 8-3 run to narrow its deficit to 14-12. A kill by Lentz stopped the Rams run and led to six straight points by the Crimson Hawks as they took a 20-12 lead.

Shepherd made another run, scoring seven of the next eight points before eventually taking a 24-23 lead. Tied at 25, Lentz scored a kill before Sova ended the game with an ace.

It was the Rams who took the early lead in the second set, going on top 7-3 before IUP scored five of the next seven points to make it a 9-8 game. Shepherd led 11-8 but a kill by Lisa Kissell (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Salem) ignited an 8-2 run as the Crimson Hawks took a 17-12 lead. A 5-2 run by the Crimson Hawks later put them on top 23-15, but Shepherd closed the gap to 24-22. With the Rams putting IUP on the ropes, a kill by Meghan Schneider (Lake Geneva, Wis. /Big Foot) finished things off to give the Crimson Hawks a 2-0 lead.

IUP got out to a 12-6 lead in the third set, but Shepherd clawed back into it again with a 9-4 run cutting the Crimson Hawks' lead to 16-15. Errors by Shepherd, along with kills by Lentz, Sova and Kissell, helped give IUP a 22-17 lead. With the Crimson Hawks on top 23-19, Lentz finished things off with back-to-back kills to give IUP its fourth victory in the last five matches.

The Crimson Hawks improve to 8-17 overall with the win. They get back to conference play this weekend with home matches against Edinboro on Friday and Slippery Rock on Saturday.