FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo volleyball team mounted a giant comeback to reverse sweep #22 Marian (Ind.) in the first match of the day before being swept by (RV) Indiana Tech.

FAST FACTS - 3-2 Win vs #22 Marian (Ind.)

• LOCATION: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, IN 
• UPDATED RECORDS: Marian University (Ind.) - 2-1 (0-0), IU Kokomo - 3-1 (0-0)
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: Marian University (Ind.) - #22, IU Kokomo - #8

THE RUNDOWN 

• IU Kokomo struggled early and often against the 22nd-ranked Knights, as Marian handled the Cougars en-route to winning each of the first two sets.
• With their backs against the wall, the Cougars remained within striking distance for much of the third-set, eventually finding a rhythm when it mattered most. Trailing 18-15, IU Kokomo won five of the next seven points to tie things up at 20 apiece. After Marian saved the first set point, a Mya Grigsby kill and Knights attack error propelled IUK to a 26-24 third set win, keeping the match alive.
• Unlike the first three sets, IU Kokomo was in control for much of the fourth and fifth sets. In the fourth, a 7-2 spurt allowed the Cougars to gain separation, as they went on to win it 25-20 and force a decisive fifth-set.
• 13th year Head Coach Heather Hayes's squad won seven of the first 10 points in the abbreviated fifth set, forcing Marian to use a timeout. The Knights trimmed the deficit to one at 8-7 and forced an IUK timeout while trailing 13-11, but a Mya Grigsby kill and Alexa Miedema service ace capped off an incredible comeback and reverse sweep of the 22nd ranked Knights.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Junior Mia Niekamp led the way for the Cougars offensively, finishing with a career-high 18 kills to go along with six digs.
• Setter Allison Richman had a strong match, collecting a career-high 40 assists to go with seven block assists and six digs.
• Lexi Broyles hit .407 for the match, totaling 13 kills and six block attempts.
• Sophomore Mya Grigsby finished one short of her career-high in digs with 26, notching another double-double with her 11 kills.
• Ava Rundle continues to be a steady presence in the back row, adding 16 digs against the Knights.

 

 FAST FACTS - 3-0 Loss vs (RV) Indiana Tech

• LOCATION: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, IN 
• UPDATED RECORDS: IU Kokomo - 3-2 (0-0), Indiana Tech - 3-1 (0-0)
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: IU Kokomo - #8, Indiana Tech - RV

THE RUNDOWN

• Fresh off a sweep of RSC foe IU East, Indiana Tech opened the match strong, winning four-straight points and six of the first seven. After IU Kokomo forced an Indiana Tech timeout, the Warriors quickly doubled the Cougars up before taking the opener 25-20. Tech's attack was scorching in the first, as they posted a whopping .472 hitting percentage to best IU Kokomo's strong .324.
• The Cougars got off to a much better start in the second set, yet the Warriors eventually found their footing. Indiana Tech took a 12-8 lead midway through the set before extending the lead to seven at 22-15. IU Kokomo was not done yet in the set, reeling off six-straight points to trim the deficit to one. A pair of service errors proved costly however, as Tech took three of the next four points to win the set 25-22.
• A back-and-forth start to the third led to both teams trading runs. IU Kokomo won four-straight before Tech answered with five-consecutive of their own. The Warriors pulled away with a 6-0 run later in the set, as they closed out the Cougars in three with a 25-16 third-set victory.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Mya Grigsby was the lone Cougar to record double-digit kills, finishing with 11.
• Allison Richman totaled 25 assists, with Chloe Carpenter adding a team-high 10 digs.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "I'm really proud of the way we battled in that first match. After a slow start, we showed a lot of grit to come from behind and reverse sweep a nationally ranked opponent — that kind of fight is what we're capable of. Unfortunately, we didn't carry that same energy into the second match. Indiana Tech was the aggressor from the first serve and we never matched their intensity. It's not the loss that stings, but the way we lost. That said, stepping back and looking at the weekend as a whole, going 3-1 with two wins over Top 25 opponents is definitely a positive and gives us momentum moving forward." - Head Coach Heather Hayes

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Matches: CSM Labor Day Classic, 8/29 - 8/30: vs (RV) Dakota Wesleyan, (RV) Benedictine (Kan.), Hastings, & #10 Providence
• Next Home Match: IU Kokomo Volleyball Invitational, 9/5 - 9/6: vs (RV) Cumberlands, vs Campbellsville, vs Madonna, vs IU South Bend

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.