MIDWAY, Ky. — The IU Kokomo women's volleyball team completed a perfect three-match road trip Saturday, sweeping River States Conference foe Midway University before defeating Lindsey Wilson College in four sets to extend its winning streak to eight matches.
The Cougars opened the day with a convincing 25-16, 25-19, 25-17 victory over the host Eagles before overcoming a narrow first-set loss to defeat Lindsey Wilson 24-26, 26-24, 25-16, 25-15 in a neutral-site matchup.
IU Kokomo improved to 16-7 overall and 7-1 in RSC play, having won all three matches over the weekend after sweeping IU East on Friday evening.
Match One: IU Kokomo 3, Midway 0
- The Cougars controlled the opening set, hitting .286 with 15 kills while limiting the Eagles to nine kills and a .061 hitting percentage on their way to a 25-16 victory.
- IU Kokomo continued its efficient offensive performance in the second set, recording another 15 kills while hitting a match-best .344 to claim a 25-19 win and take a commanding two-set advantage.
- The Cougars completed the sweep with a 25-17 third-set victory, holding Midway to a negative hitting percentage of -.075 while finishing with 15 kills for the third consecutive set.
- IU Kokomo dominated the statistical battle, outhitting Midway .283 to .010 while holding a 45-22 advantage in kills and a 9-2 edge in total blocks.
- Senior Cali Cummings led the Cougar offense with 11 kills on just 18 swings, committing only two errors for an impressive .500 hitting percentage. Mia Niekamp added 10 kills and three total blocks, while Mya Grigsby contributed nine kills, 11 digs and two service aces.
- Natalie Sevier chipped in eight kills while hitting .389, and Trishell Johnson anchored the defensive effort at the net with five block assists.
- Setters Gracelynn Olson and Rylee Springer combined for 38 assists, with Olson dishing out 25 and Springer adding 13. Avery Littrell matched Grigsby for the team lead with 11 digs.
Match Two: IU Kokomo 3, Lindsey Wilson 1
- The Cougars faced a tougher test in their second match of the afternoon, dropping a tightly contested opening set 26-24 despite recording 12 kills.
- IU Kokomo responded in another closely contested second set, recording 13 kills and hitting .200 before pulling out a 26-24 victory to even the match at one set apiece.
- With momentum on their side, the Cougars took control in the third set, limiting Lindsey Wilson to just six kills and a negative hitting percentage of -.061 while claiming a convincing 25-16 victory.
- IU Kokomo saved its most efficient offensive performance for the fourth set, hitting .333 with 14 kills and just five errors to close out the Blue Raiders 25-15 and secure its eighth consecutive victory.
- Grigsby powered the Cougar offense with a match-high 20 kills and 14 digs for another double-double, while Cummings added nine kills and a team-high seven total blocks.
- Johnson turned in an efficient performance with eight kills on 16 attempts without committing an attack error, finishing with a .500 hitting percentage. Niekamp also contributed eight kills and four total blocks.
- Olson and Springer directed the offense with 23 and 22 assists, respectively, while Springer added 11 digs. Chloe Carpenter collected 12 digs, with Littrell adding 11.
- IU Kokomo finished with a 52-40 advantage in kills and held Lindsey Wilson to a .069 hitting percentage, including negative percentages in each of the final two sets.
The Cougars return home Tuesday, Oct. 13, for a non-conference matchup against nationally ranked The Master's University inside the Student Activities and Events Center.
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, X and Instagram.
