INDIANA, Pa. – The Crimson Hawk volleyball team turned in a dominant performance on Saturday night, defeating conference rival California (PA) in four sets, 20–25, 25–23, 25–18, 25–10, inside the KCAC.
After dropping the opening set, the Crimson Hawks bounced back with a complete team effort, showing resilience, energy, and balance on both sides of the ball to secure the comeback win and improve their conference record.
California (PA) came out strong in the first set, capitalizing on early IUP errors to grab a 25–20 win. However, the momentum quickly shifted as the Crimson Hawks regrouped and began to find their offensive rhythm behind setter
Ellie Rauch, who orchestrated the attack with an impressive 50 assists on the night.
The second set was tightly contested from start to finish. IUP built a late lead behind timely kills from
Peyton Belcher and
Delaney Concannon, and a pair of service aces from Rauch helped seal a 25–23 win to even the match at one set apiece.
From there, the Crimson Hawks never looked back. In the third set, IUP's offense clicked on all cylinders, spreading the attack across multiple hitters. Belcher led the charge with 14 kills, while Concannon added 12 and
Rylee Brown chipped in 11. Rauch continued to distribute the ball efficiently, finding open hitters and forcing Cal's defense out of system.
Defensively, IUP's back line stepped up as
Brooke Kessler anchored the effort with a team-high 16 digs, while Rauch and
Lexi McLanahan provided key coverage. At the net, Brown led the blocking effort with three, and
Charlotte Potvin and Concannon each added one.
In the fourth and final set, IUP completely took control, using a 10–1 run midway through the frame to pull away. The Crimson Hawks' serving attack proved to be a difference-maker, as Rauch notched four aces, and McLanahan added three more to keep California off balance.
Jessica Neiman also recorded two aces, helping IUP close out the match with a commanding 25–10 finish.
The victory showcased the depth and consistency of IUP's lineup, as eight different players recorded at least one kill and several made key contributions off the bench. The balanced attack, coupled with sharp serving and steady defense, highlighted one of the team's most complete performances of the season.
With the win, IUP improves to (13-5) on the season and continues to build momentum heading deeper into PSAC play. IUP will return to action on Friday, Oct 17, at the KCAC when the Crimson Hawks take on Slippery Rock.
