KOKOMO, Ind. - The 14th-ranked IU Kokomo volleyball team defeated the University of Rio Grande in straight sets on Saturday to capture the River States Conference title in dominant fashion. The championship marks the program's ninth conference crown, having now appeared in eleven conference championship matches overall.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Student Activities & Events Center | Kokomo, IN 
• UPDATED RECORDS: Rio Grande - 26-12, IU Kokomo - 30-5
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: Rio Grande - N/A, IU Kokomo - #14

THE RUNDOWN 

• IU Kokomo would open the match with an early 7-2 lead in the first set and never slowed down, cruising to a 25-14 victory.
• The second set followed a similar script, as the Cougars jumped out to an 8-3 advantage. Rio Grande managed to cut the deficit to four, but IU Kokomo responded with a four-point burst and pulled away to take the set 25-14.
• The third set began as a tighter battle, with the Cougars holding a narrow 7-6 edge. From there, IU Kokomo broke the set open with a run that built a 14-8 lead, maintaining control the rest of the way to secure a 25-17 win, bringing the RSC Championship trophy back to Kokomo. 

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Mia Niekamp led the Cougars with thirteen kills, followed by Lexi Broyles with seven and Mya Grigsby with six.
• Grigsby also paced the defense with thirteen digs, while Allison Richman and Avery Littrell added six apiece.
• Richman directed the offense with eighteen assists, and Macy Chafin added five of her own.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "This has been a season of tremendous growth for our young team, and I couldn't be prouder of how far we've come. We went undefeated in the regular season and then swept every opponent in the conference tournament, and that reflects the hard work and maturity these players have shown. We're playing our best volleyball at exactly the right time and with a level of confidence I've never seen before. I'm incredibly proud of them and everything they've accomplished."  Head Coach Heather Hayes 
• "This was an amazing team win! We have worked all year for post season and the past three games we have gotten to show how much we have grown and the team we have become! This was a fun win, and one we earned by all of our hard work this year!" - Lexi Broyles

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Match: 11/22 - NAIA National Championship Opening Round Match - TBD

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 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.