INDIANA, Pa. – Despite owning an edge in nearly even single team statistic on the evening, the IUP women's volleyball team lost in four sets to visiting Edinboro in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West matchup on Friday at the Kovalchick Complex.
The Crimson Hawks fall to 15-11 overall on the year and 7-9 in the PSAC. Edinboro improves to 26-2 overall and 15-1 in conference play, the best record of any team in the league.
IUP held the advantage in kills (47-45), hitting percentage (.077-.046), blocks (14-6), assists (43-38), digs (104-99), and points (63.0-53.0). However, the Crimson Hawks totaled 55 errors to Edinboro's 46.
Each set was decided by three or fewer points, with Edinboro winning the opening set 25-22 before the Crimson Hawks tied things up with a 26-24 win in the second. The Fighting Scots then posted wins of 25-23 and 25-22 to clinch the tight win.
Junior
Lily McWilliams (Rockville, Md./Thomas Sprigg Wootton) led the way for IUP with season-highs of 14.0 points and 11 kills. She also posted six total blocks and five digs, both the highest totals for her this season.
The match featured 33 ties and 14 lead changes, with IUP holding leads in both the third and fourth sets after its match-tying victory in the second.
Trying to force a fifth set, the Crimson Hawks jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the fourth. IUP held off a couple of runs by the Fighting Scots before Edinboro won four straight points to take a 12-10 lead. IUP jumped back on top 14-13, but another 4-0 run by the Fighting Scots put them on top 17-14. Later, a kill by sophomore
Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) gave IUP a 21-20 lead, but Edinboro scored five of the final six points to seal the win.
Cignetti finished with 10 kills and 13 digs, her 12th double-double of the season. Sophomore
Gabrielle Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama Academy) had four kills and 10 total blocks, including three solo, and finished with 10.5 points. In limited time, sophomore
Alexis Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) had eight kills and three total blocks for 10.5 points on the night. Classmate
Katie Miller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) had 38 assists and freshman
Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had a match-high 29 digs.
The Crimson Hawks hope to get back on track tomorrow when they face off against Slippery Rock in the Kovalchick Complex at 2 p.m.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.
