SHIPPENSBURG, PA – Lauren Hester (State College, Pa. /State College) finished with 16 kills and Lily McWilliams (Rockville, Md./Thomas Sprigg Wootton) had 12 kills and four blocks to help the IUP women's volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Shippensburg, highlighting a Saturday split for the Crimson Hawks.
 
IUP lost to Pitt-Johnstown early on Saturday before defeating the Raiders on the second day of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East-West crossover play.
 
The Crimson Hawks dropped a straight setter to UPJ, 25-12, 25-17 and 26-25. Elizabeth Sova (Myerstown, Pa. /ELCO) had seven kills and five blocks, leading all IUP players with 10 points. McWilliams added five kills and four total blocks.
 
IUP came back in the nightcap against Shippensburg, getting a 25-17 win in the opening set. The Crimson Hawks led throughout, using a 6-1 run in the middle of the set to pull away for the win.
 
Shippensburg took the second set 25-21 before the Crimson Hawks rallied for a 27-25 third set victory. IUP held the lead for most of that third set until the Raiders took an 18-17 lead. There would be seven more lead changes and seven more ties after that point, including a 25-25 score after an attacking error by the Crimson Hawks. IUP then rebounded with kills by Kaitlyn Palmer (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and Hester to look up the 2-1 lead.
 
IUP then took the fourth set 25-18 after falling behind by a score of 8-3. The Crimson Hawks scored seven of the next eight points to jump on top 10-9, then later went on top by four at 18-14. IUP would end up holding a 21-16 lead before scoring four of the next six for the match victory.
 
Sova finished with 14 kills against Shippensburg to total 21 on the day. Defensively, three players had at least 20 digs against the Raiders, led by Joie Hrapla (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Bishop Canevin) with 23. Palmer added 22 while Katie Miller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) had 21.
 
Miller also set a new career-high with 45 assists as she stepped in for Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy).
 
The Crimson Hawks - now 6-5 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC - host a pair of games next weekend, including Cal on Friday night and Seton Hill on Saturday afternoon.