Box Score
INDIANA, PA –
Kelly Barnes (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Simley) had 27 digs with no errors on help IUP to a three-set win over rival Slippery Rock in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) volleyball matchup at the Kovalchick Complex on Saturday.
The Crimson Hawks won 25-21, 25-14 and 25-23.
The win was the fourth straight for the Crimson Hawks, who are now 10-17 overall and 6-9 in the PSAC. Slippery Rock falls to the bottom of the division with the loss and are now 9-18 overall and 4-10 in the conference.
The 27 digs were a season-high for Barnes on her near flawless night.
The opening set was tight throughout with 12 ties and 12 lead changes. Slippery Rock held an 18-16 lead before kills by
Stephanie Kruzynski (Oxford/Oxford) and
Lisa Kissell (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Salem) helped IUP take a 20-18 lead. Slippery Rock came back to tie the score at 20, but the Crimson Hawks rolled off four of the last five points and got a kill from Kruzynski to finish the set.
The Crimson Hawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set before building a 10-3 advantage. Slippery Rock cut its deficit to four with three straight points but IUP rallied with four straight points which led to a 9-4 run to take a 19-10 lead. Slippery Rock scored the next three points but IUP again turned them away with six of the last seven for the 11-point win.
Slippery Rock made it harder on the Crimson Hawks in the third set as the Pride held a 17-15 lead. The Crimson Hawks came back to tie it but again fell down by two at 19-17. They later trailed 20-19 before a kill by
Meghan Schneider (Lake Geneva, Wis. /Big Foot) got things going as IUP rattled off four straight points to take a 23-20 lead. A last gasp effort by Slippery Rock wasn't going to be enough as Kruzynski ended the match with her 10th kill of the night.
Kruzynski's 10 kills were a team-high. Sova added eight and two block assists.
Ericka Lentz (Reading/Holy Name) had nine kills and 11 digs.
The Crimson Hawks are off until next weekend when they host California and Seton Hill, two of the top three teams in the PSAC West.
