INDIANA, Pa. – Senior outside hitter Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) had 22 kills and 15 digs, and was one of several individual highlights in the Crimson Hawks' four-set win over visiting Slippery Rock at the Kovalchick Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
Cignetti was one of four IUP players with at least eight kills on the afternoon, as the Crimson Hawks won their second match of the weekend to improve to 16-6 overall and 7-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Complex (PSAC).
 
Cignetti hit .442, with her 22 kills coming on 43 total attacks with just three errors.
 
Fellow senior outside hitter Alexis Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) had 14 kills while junior opposite Sami Brown (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) added 12 on 26 attacks. (.346).
 
IUP bookended the day with hitting percentages of .394 in the first set and .481 in the fourth, hitting .285 for the match. The final scores for IUP were 25-19, 21-25, 25-13, and 25-9.
 
The Crimson Hawks totaled nine team blocks, forcing Slippery Rock (9-12, 1-8 PSAC) into 27 hitting errors and a .066 hitting percentage. Senior middle Gabby Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Barack Obama Academy) led the team with five block assists. The IUP defense also finished with 82 digs, including a match-high 27 from junior libero Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside).
 
Up next
The Crimson Hawks have a big divisional road back-to-back next weekend, heading to Greensburg to face Seton Hill on Friday and to California on Saturday. Wins could break up the divisional standings momentarily, as IUP, Seton Hill and Clarion are all tied for first with 7-2 league records. Cal is one game back at 6-3.  
 
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For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.