INDIANA, Pa. – Sophomores Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and Alexis Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) each tallied 17 kills on the night as they helped the IUP women's volleyball team to a season-opening five-set victory over visiting Notre Dame (Ohio) on Friday night at the Kovalchick Complex.
 
The kill totals for Cignetti and Anderson were both career-highs, while fellow sophomore Gabrielle Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama Academy) posted a career-high 11 kills of her own in the comeback win.
 
It was new head coach Scott Pennewill's first victory at IUP, as the Crimson Hawks rallied from a 2-1 match deficit to post set wins of 25-15 and 15-11 to clinch the win.
 
Junior Lindsay Moeller (Troy, Mich./Troy) was the main distributor, finishing with 55 assists while also adding four service aces and seven digs.
 
Notre Dame (0-2) started the night with a 25-18 set one victory before the Crimson Hawks rallied for a 25-21 set two win. The Falcons again won 25-18 in the third set before IUP's comeback.
 
The Crimson Hawks offense took off over those final two sets, totaling 25 kills with a hitting percentage of more than .250. Anderson had 10 of her 17 kills in the final two sets, while Cignetti tallied eight as the duo sparked the rally.
 
Defensively for IUP, senior Meghan Schneider (Lake Geneva, Wis. /Big Foot) led the way with seven total blocks while Moeller and Egler added three each. Freshman Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had a team-high 22 digs with Cignetti chipping in 11.
 
The match was the first of three on the weekend as IUP hosts the 2015 ASICS Crimson Hawk Invitational. Six teams made the trip to Indiana to take part in the 13-match tournament.
 
The Crimson Hawks return to the court tomorrow when they face Lake Erie College at 12:30 p.m. and Alderson Broaddus at 5:30 p.m.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.