INDIANA, Pa. – Sophomore
Alexis Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) had a match-high 19 kills but IUP totaled 61 errors in a five-set non-conference women's volleyball loss to visiting Shepherd in the Kovalchick Complex on Tuesday night.
The Crimson Hawks had a better hitting percentage than Shepherd, while also topping the Rams in service aces and blocks but dropped it 4-2 overall on the season with the loss. The defeat ended IUP's three-match win streak as Shepherd evened its record at 4-4.
IUP looked strong in the opening two sets, winning 25-14 and 25-20. The Crimson Hawks totaled 24 kills in those sets while the defense was strong, limiting Shepherd to a negative hitting percentage.
Shepherd battled back with a 25-19 third set victory, followed by a 25-21 win in the fourth set to not the match at two games apiece. The Rams totaled 20 kills in those sets while the Crimson Hawks combined for 26 errors.
The Rams jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the fifth set before building an 11-5 advantage. IUP stepped up with a big 5-0 run, getting kills by sophomore
Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and junior
Lily McWilliams (Rockville, Md./Thomas Sprigg Wootton), cutting the deficit to 11-10. Later, a kill by
Gabrielle Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama Academy) helped even the score at 12-12, but the Rams scored three of the last four points to win 15-13 and clinch the match victory.
The 19 kills by Anderson brought her season total to a team-leading 97. She also finished with four total blocks and 11 digs. Cignetti finished with 12 kills, two service aces and 10 digs while junior
Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy) had 40 assists and 17 digs.
Defensively, freshman libero
Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had a season-high 35 digs while senior
Meghan Schneider (Lake Geneva, Wis. /Big Foot) had six total blocks.
The Crimson Hawks will look to get back on track this weekend with three matches in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference/Mountain East Conference Crossover in Erie, Pa.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.
