KOKOMO, Ind. — No. 13 Indiana University Kokomo faced a pair of ranked opponents Saturday at the Student Activities & Events Center, falling 3-1 to No. 21 Cornerstone before dropping a tightly contested five-set match, 3-2, to No. 17 Aquinas on the final day of the 2026 IU Kokomo Invitational.
Match Against #21 Cornerstone
The Cougars fought hard but were unable to overcome Cornerstone's decisive play.
First Set
- IU Kokomo and Cornerstone traded early points, with key kills keeping the score even at 4-4.
- Cornerstone gained momentum, going on a 4-0 run to extend its lead to 8-4, aided by errors from the Cougars' attackers.
- The Cougs rallied to tie the score at 12-12, thanks to a block and a service ace.
- However, Cornerstone capitalized on IUK's errors, finishing the set with a 25-20 victory.
Second Set
- The Cougars opened with a 2-0 lead, highlighted by a service ace and a block.
- Cornerstone responded with a 5-1 run to move ahead 6-3.
- IUK fought back, tying the score at 7-7 with a sequence of kills.
- In a tense finish, the Cougars secured the set 25-22 with a decisive kill.
Third Set
- Cornerstone surged ahead with a strong 5-0 run, prompting IU Kokomo to call an early timeout.
- Cornerstone extended its lead to 10-2, aided by kills and a block.
- They built a commanding 19-4 advantage.
- Though the Cougs managed a brief push, Cornerstone secured the set 25-8.
Fourth Set
- Cornerstone took an early 3-1 lead, capitalizing on a service ace.
- IUK rallied with a series of blocks to shift the lead to 8-6.
- A kill at 19-19 helped IU Kokomo stay competitive, but Cornerstone responded with a three-point run to take a 22-21 advantage.
- Cornerstone sealed the set and match with a 26-24 win.
IU Kokomo Top Performers
Game Notes
- IU Kokomo achieved a season-high total of 13 blocks in the game.
Match Against #17 Aquinas
In a dramatic five-set match against Aquinas, the Cougars took an early lead but ultimately fell short in the decisive fifth set.
First Set
- IU Kokomo took an early lead 4-2, bolstered by a service ace from Mya Grigsby.
- The Cougars maintained a narrow edge at 10-8, thanks to kills from Mia Niekamp and Grigsby.
- After a timeout by Aquinas at 19-15, the Cougs extended their lead to 22-18 with consistent offensive execution, including key kills from Ryleigh Hamilton and Cali Cummings.
- IU Kokomo closed the set at 25-18, capitalizing on an attack error by the opponent.
Second Set
- The Cougars opened with a 3-1 lead after an attack error and a block by Cali Cummings and Trishell Johnson.
- Aquinas responded with a series of kills to move ahead 6-5.
- Mya Grigsby registered multiple kills, contributing to a 5-0 run, pushing the score to 13-10.
- However, Aquinas closed the set with a decisive 5-1 run, securing a 25-22 victory.
Third Set
- Aquinas surged ahead early with a 3-0 lead, sparked by two consecutive service aces.
- The Cougs answered with a 7-0 run, highlighted by a block from Ryleigh Hamilton and Cali Cummings, to take a 7-5 lead.
- Grigsby and Mia Niekamp combined for multiple kills, extending IU Kokomo's lead to 18-10.
- The Cougars maintained their advantage, closing the set 25-18 with a kill from Niekamp.
Fourth Set
- IU Kokomo started strong with a 5-0 run, highlighted by a service ace from Mya Grigsby.
- Aquinas responded with a 6-0 stretch to take a 7-6 advantage.
- After a timeout at 18-13, Aquinas extended its lead to 20-13.
- Aquinas sealed the set 25-19.
Fifth Set
- The Cougs started strong, taking a 6-2 lead with Mya Grigsby contributing a kill and Trishell Johnson and Grigsby combining for a block.
- Aquinas responded with a six-point run, including a service ace, to take an 8-6 advantage.
- Aquinas sealed the set 15-12, securing the match victory.
IU Kokomo Top Performers
The Cougars will be back in action next weekend in Fort Wayne, this time at Indiana Tech for the Liz Lykowski Memorial Tournament.
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.
