PORTSMOUTH, Ohio. - The 20th-ranked IU Kokomo volleyball team opened their packed three-match weekend with a statement win Friday night at Shawnee State, setting a new program record for blocks in a four-set match during a hard-fought 3–1 victory.
FAST FACTS
- LOCATION: Waller Gymnasium | Portsmouth, OH
- UPDATED RECORDS: IU Kokomo - 17-5 (8-0), Shawnee State - 16-7 (6-2)
- NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: IU Kokomo - #20, Shawnee State - N/A
THE RUNDOWN
- IU Kokomo came out strong on offense in the opening two sets, hitting over .300 in both while limiting Shawnee State to a hitting percentage of .128 or lower. The Cougars dominated early, taking advantage of a sluggish Bears squad to cruise to 25–16 and 25–13 wins in the first two sets, jumping out to a 2–0 lead.
- Shawnee State came out strong in the third set, but a 5–0 run by the Cougars quickly swung the momentum back in IU Kokomo's favor. The teams traded points in a tightly contested stretch, until SSU pulled ahead late, forcing two Cougar timeouts and ultimately escaping with a 25–23 win to push the match to a fourth set.
- The fourth set continued the back-and-forth battle, with Shawnee State holding a 14–11 advantage midway through. But following a timely timeout from head coach Heather Hayes, IU Kokomo responded with three straight points to tie it up.
- The Bears responded with a 4–0 run to reclaim a 19–15 lead, but the Cougars roared back with a dominant 7–0 surge following another timeout by Coach Hayes, taking control at 22–19. Lexi Broyles sealed the win with a kill on the second match point, securing a 25–21 fourth-set victory and a gritty 3–1 win over a tough Shawnee State team.
LEADING THE CHARGE
- IU Kokomo's defense stole the spotlight Friday evening at Waller Gymnasium, tallying 16.5 blocks to break the program's four-set match record, previously set twice in 2016.
- Senior Lexi Broyles anchored the effort with seven total blocks, while Mia Niekamp posted a career-high five. Cali Cummings and Ryleigh Hamilton also contributed five blocks each, helping power the record-setting performance.
- Adding to the defensive showcase, sophomore libero Avery Littrell recorded a career-high 31 digs. Mya Grigsby added 17, while Chloe Carpenter chipped in 12. Middle hitter Lexi Broyles also set a personal best with eight digs, rounding out a strong all-around performance.
- On the offensive end, Broyles paced the Cougars with 16 kills and an impressive .464 hitting percentage. Niekamp followed closely with 15 kills, while Cummings added 12 to round out the balanced attack.
- At setter, Allison Richman led the way with a match-high 26 assists, adding six kills, three blocks, and two digs to her stat line. Macy Chafin wasn't far behind, dishing out 22 assists while contributing nine digs and two kills of her own.
INSIDE THE HUDDLE
- "What a fun match! The first two sets, we were truly amazing — firing on all cylinders. In the last two sets, we had a few too many unforced errors, but we battled a very strong Shawnee State team and came away with a great come-from-behind win in set four. We spent a lot of time this week focusing on defense — digging and blocking — and it really showed. We were impressive in those areas, averaging 23.75 digs per set and 16.5 blocks. I'm so proud of our fight and how well we defended tonight. It was a tough win on the road but a good one." - Head Coach Heather Hayes
THE ROAD AHEAD
- Next Matches: 10/11 @ Kentucky Christian - 12:00 PM ET, vs #25 Lindsey Wilson at Kentucky Christian- 2:00 PM ET
- Next Home Match: 10/24 vs Oakland City - 7:00 PM ET
For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on
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