INDIANA, PA – Despite a combined 22 kills by seniors Lauren Hester (State College, Pa. /State College) and Elizabeth Sova (Myerstown, Pa. /ELCO), the Crimson Hawks dropped a straight set women's volleyball match to visiting Edinboro on Friday as IUP celebrated Senior Night at the Kovalchick Complex.
 
Hester finished with a team-high 12 kills while Sova added 10. They each added seven digs on the night.
 
After a 25-15 opening set loss and then falling behind 10-3 in the second set, the Crimson Hawks battled back, going on a 7-3 run to cut their deficit to 13-10. Edinboro stayed on top, but IUP kept chipping away at the led, eventually tying the set at 22-22 on a kill by Hester.
 
IUP and Edinboro traded points, as the Crimson Hawks took a 24-23 lead before the Fighting Scots scored twice to go on top 25-24. The set was tied again at 25-25 and 26-26 before Edinboro got back-to-back kills to pull out a 28-26 win.
 
It was the Crimson Hawks who jumped out to a lead in the third set, using a 4-0 run to go up 7-4. They held a 15-12 lead before trading 3-0 runs with Edinboro to stay in front 18-15. The Fighting Scots then got hot, reeling off seven of the next eight points to take a 22-19 lead. IUP came back to tie the set at 22-22 but three straight points by the Fighting Scots sealed a 25-22 win.
 
A third senior, Brooke Bailey (Clarion, Pa. /Clarion), received extensive playing time, finishing with two kills and seven digs. Joie Hrapla (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Bishop Canevin) had a team-high 14 digs and Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy) finished with 30 assists.
 
The Crimson Hawks wrap up their season tomorrow when they face Slippery Rock on the road. First serve is set for 2 p.m.