Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, PA – Elizabeth Sova (Myerstown, Pa. /ELCO) had a match-high 12 kills and added three service aces to help IUP to a straight-set win over rival Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West women's volleyball action on Friday night.

The Crimson Hawks won both the first and second sets in close fashion, 25-23 and 27-25. There was a little bit more breathing room in the third set, winning 25-17.

IUP improves to 13-20 overall, including a 9-12 mark in the PSAC. Slippery Rock falls to 10-24 overall and 5-16 in the conference.

IUP led 4-0 in the opening set but Slippery Rock rallied to tie the score at 4-4 and then again 8-8. The Crimson Hawks later took a 17-14 lead but again, the Pride came back to keep it close, never falling behind by more than three points in the two-point IUP win.

IUP found itself down 12-6 in the second set after 3-0 and 4-0 runs by Slippery Rock early on. The Crimson Hawks closed their deficit to 15-12 but lost the next two points to go down 17-12. They responded by firing off four straight, including back-to-back kills by Meghan Schneider (Lake Geneva, Wis. /Big Foot), to close the gap to one.

Slippery Rock was just one point away from the win at 24-22, but IUP scored the next three and five of the last six to complete the comeback two-point win. Schneider was the one to finish things off with another kill, her fourth of the set.

The Crimson Hawks fell behind 4-2 early in the third set but came back by scoring 14 of the next 16 points, including 12 straight, to take a 16-6 lead. Slippery Rock did battle back to cut its deficit to six at 22-16 but kills by Kaitlyn Palmer (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and an ace by Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy) finished things off for IUP.

Six players had at least five kills for the Crimson Hawks, led by Sova's 12. Schneider had eight while Lisa Kissell (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Salem) and Ericka Lentz (Reading/Holy Name) had six and Stephanie Kruzynski (Oxford/Oxford) and Moeller had five. Moeller also had 36 assists. Lentz finished with 12 digs while Aubree Frye (Indiana/Indiana) had 11.

The Crimson Hawks wrap up their season tomorrow as they play at Edinboro. Match time is set for 3 p.m.