FINDLAY, Ohio – Starting a busy couple of days at the Findlay Classic in Ohio, the IUP women's volleyball team fell in four sets (20-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-15) to a quality Hillsdale team on Thursday evening.
IUP (3-3) had just three service aces on the night and hit .143 for the match on a tough night against a strong Hillsdale (3-2) defense. Hillsdale held a 52-45 advantage in kills and hit .233 on the night.
IUP was balanced on offense overall, with junior
Nyla Birch once again leading the charge with 12 kills and a .321 hitting percentage. Seniors
Stefania Anagnostou and
Grace Mangapora added nine kills each, while senior
Kat Warpinski dealt out 34 assists.
Marilyn Popplewell led the Chargers with 14 kills on an efficient .303 hitting percentage.
Hillsdale opened the match with a 25-20 win in the first set, taking control in the middle portions of the frame. IUP eventually battled back, using a three-point stretch to move ahead at 17-16 on a Birch kill. Hillsdale countered with six consecutive points to end the frame.
In a back and forth ending to the second set, IUP responded to keep things close despite several Hillsdale charges. IUP opened up a 5-1 lead with stellar offense, including four kills and a service ace from Anagnostou. Graduate student
Caroline Walsh widened the Crimson Hawk advantage to 9-3 before Hillsdale battled back to even the frame at 13.
Down by one, three straight points pushed IUP to a 25-23 set victory. Birch capped the frame with a kill at the net off an over ball from a Warpinski serve.
Hillsdale took control in the third set with an early 9-5 lead. IUP slowly chipped away with a 3-1 push to get back within 10-8. Hillsdale responded with another run, this one putting the Chargers 17-11 and prompting an IUP timeout. Hillsdale maintained a lead that hovered around five points and closed out the set with a 25-19 win.
IUP held a slight advantage early as kills from Warpinski and Managpora helped mount a lead before Anagnostou and senior
Lauren Valentic combined for a block and a 9-6 advantage. A run that included seven of eight points shifted momentum to Hillsdale, which went ahead by two points at 13-10.
Mangapora's ninth kill of the match brought IUP within 16-14 in the fourth set. Hillsdale ultimately finished the match at 25-15 with a decisive run that included a 9-1 spurt.
Up Next
IUP plays a pair of matches on Friday, September 8. The Crimson Hawks open the day against Wayne State at 11:00 a.m. before taking on host Findlay at 7:00 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawks and @IUPVB.
