INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's volleyball team continued its strong run through PSAC play Friday night, defeating Seton Hill in four sets at Memorial Field House.
The Crimson Hawks took the opening two sets, 25-16 and 25-21, before Seton Hill responded with a 25-21 victory in the third. IUP closed out the match with a 25-21 win in the fourth, improving to 16-4 overall and 9-1 in conference play.
Jessica Neiman paced a balanced IUP attack with 16 kills on 34 swings, hitting .353 for the match. Delaney Concannon added 12 kills and a match-high 20 digs for a double-double, while Charlotte Potvin and Sammy Stephens chipped in nine kills apiece. Potvin hit a team-best .412 on 17 attacks.
IUP was particularly effective offensively through the opening two sets. The Crimson Hawks hit .321 with 12 kills in the first before erupting for 21 kills on a .410 hitting percentage in the second. IUP finished the match with 60 kills and a .252 hitting percentage, compared to 45 kills and a .188 clip for Seton Hill.
The Crimson Hawks continued to utilize both setters, with Ellie Rauch handing out 21 assists and Maddie Zechman adding 18. Rauch also turned in a strong defensive performance with 17 digs, trailing only Concannon among IUP players.
IUP also held advantages in service aces, 8-4, and digs, 64-57. Concannon, Rauch and Zechman each recorded two aces. Potvin led the Crimson Hawks at the net with three block assists, while Mikalah Kim recorded two solo blocks.
After Seton Hill extended the match with its third-set victory, IUP responded in the fourth. The Crimson Hawks built a 17-6 advantage before the Griffins battled back, eventually cutting the margin to three at 24-21. An attack error on match point sealed IUP's 16th victory of the season.
The victory gives IUP wins in four consecutive matches and 15 of its last 16 after opening the season 1-3. The Crimson Hawks also remain near the top of the PSAC West standings at 9-1 in conference play.
