KOKOMO, Ind. — IU Kokomo delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, sweeping Rio Grande 3-0 (25-12, 25-8, 25-20) in a matchup between two of the top three teams in the River States Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Cougars controlled the match from start to finish, hitting .321 while holding the RedStorm to just .039 and recording 11 service aces for the second-consecutive match.
First Set
- The Cougars moved ahead 5-1 behind two kills from Mya Grigsby and points from Trishell Johnson and Mia Niekamp before Rio Grande got back to 5-3.
- Niekamp's kill started an eight-point Cougars run from 5-3 to 13-3, with Alexa Miedema serving seven straight points that included two aces. Miedema has recorded three or more aces in two consecutive matches.
- Rio Grande scored three straight to reach 13-6, but IU Kokomo kept control with kills from Niekamp, Ryleigh Hamilton and Johnson, a Grigsby ace and a Johnson-Hamilton block on the way to a 24-12 lead.
- The Cougs finished the set 25-12.
Second Set
- After Rio Grande scored the opening point, the Cougars won five of the next six rallies to move ahead 5-2, with Grigsby recording a kill and Rio Grande committing three attack errors.
- IU Kokomo followed with an 11-0 run to push the set to 16-2. Hamilton had two kills during the stretch, Grigsby served four aces, and Johnson was credited on three blocks.
- Rio Grande broke up the run and later added two service aces, but the Cougars moved to 20-7 behind kills from Cali Cummings, Niekamp and Rylee Springer.
- The Cougs won five of the final six points, including kills by Springer, Cummings and Grigsby, to take the set 25-8.
Third Set
- Grigsby had four early kills and an ace as the Cougars moved from a 1-1 tie to a 10-5 lead.
- IU Kokomo kept separation through the middle of the set, getting kills from Johnson, Hamilton and Niekamp before Cummings' block made it 16-11. Cummings recorded a season-high of two solo blocks, while Johnson recorded a career-high total of two solo blocks.
- Rio Grande cut a 19-14 deficit to 19-18 with a four-point run.
- After a timeout, Springer stopped the run with a kill, and the Cougars won five straight points to reach 24-18 before Grigsby closed the 25-20 set with a kill.
IU Kokomo Top Performers
- Mya Grigsby: 11 kills, 6 service aces, 17 points, 8 digs
- Mia Niekamp: 11 kills, 1 error on 21 attempts, .476 hitting percentage, 1 solo block, 12 points
- Trishell Johnson: 5 total blocks (2 solo), 3 kills, 6.5 points
- Gracelynn Olson: 16 assists, 4 digs, 1 service ace
- Cali Cummings: 5 kills, 1 error on 10 attempts, .400 hitting percentage, 2 solo blocks, 7 points
The Cougars aren't in action at home again until September 29th, as they will hit the road Tuesday night for a battle with fellow conference power, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College at 7:00 PM.
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.
