INDIANA, Pa. – IUP volleyball swept its opening day of the 2026 Crimson Hawk Classic at the KCAC on Friday, picking up a pair of victories over West Liberty and Ashland.
The Crimson Hawks opened the day with a sweep of West Liberty before closing Friday's action with a four-set victory over Ashland.
IUP 3, West Liberty 0
IUP controlled the net in its opening match, finishing with 31 kills while holding West Liberty to 28. The Crimson Hawks also recorded nine blocks and kept the Hilltoppers under pressure throughout the match, forcing West Liberty into 42 digs.
Sophomore Sammy Stephens led a balanced IUP attack with seven kills. Five other Crimson Hawks recorded multiple kills in the victory.
IUP 3, Ashland 1
The Crimson Hawks closed the opening day with a tightly contested four-set victory over Ashland despite lopsided scores in the middle two frames.
Ashland grabbed the opening set, 26-24, after IUP held a 23-20 advantage late in the frame. The Crimson Hawks responded emphatically, taking the next three sets, 25-18, 25-15 and 25-21, to secure their second victory of the day.
Delaney Concannon powered the IUP offense with a season-high 20 kills, while Jessica Neiman added 18. Stephens joined the duo in double figures with 11 kills.
IUP posted a .262 hitting percentage against Ashland, finishing with 63 kills on 145 attempts. The hitting percentage was the Crimson Hawks' second-highest mark through the early portion of the season, narrowly trailing the .263 clip IUP recorded on 118 attempts in its season opener.
Up Next
The Crimson Hawk Classic concludes Saturday with five matches at the KCAC. IUP returns to the court for matches at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
