Purdue Fort Wayne
UMKC
IPFW Wins Summit League Opener
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2008
Fort Wayne, IN – After falling in the first set of their home opener against UMKC (5-9, 1-1 Summit League), the IPFW Mastodons (4-7, 1-0 Summit) rallied, sweeping the final three sets in a four-set victory over the Kangaroos by scores of 22-25, 25-8, 25-21, 25-21, only the third four-set match of the season for IPFW.
Fort Wayne native Jessica Miller led the team with 14 kills, while finishing the contest with an attack percentage of .467 (14 kills, 0 errors, 30 attempts), a total that is the fourth highest by a ‘Don attacker in a four-set match. Rebekah Roehm added 13 kills while adding 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.
Jamie Schwartz dug up 22 kill attempts in the win, while the ‘Don block was on its game for the entire contest, totaling 15 team blocks, the fifth highest four-set total in school history. The block was led by sophomore Taryn Parker, who had a career-high eight, with Roehm and Kylee Hervey finishing with six apiece. Setters Jessica Dominiak and Shannon Reuter had 24 and 17 assists apiece, while Schwartz led the team with three service aces.
Other notable markings into the school record book include Parker’s eight blocks (4th), Schwartz’ aces (7th), Roehm and Hervey’s six blocks (20th), and the team total of a .289 attack percentage (7th).
The ‘Dons opened strong in the first set, jumping out to a quick 5-1 lead before the ‘Roos climbed back, scoring four straight points to knot the set at five. The remainder of the set was a back-and-forth battle, with each team taking to a three-point lead at some point, IPFW at 14-11 following a Roehm kill, and UMKC at 22-19, 24-21 and the final set score of 25-22.
UMKC opened the second-set scoring with a kill, before the ‘Dons scored the next seven points to jump out to a 7-1 lead. IPFW kept its foot on the gas pedal for the remainder of the frame, using runs of 4-0 to take the match from 9-4 to 13-4; and 6-0 to give the set its final score of 25-8.
The Kangaroos took the early advantage in the third set, leading by three on three separate occasions, including as late in the set as 17-14 before the ‘Dons rallied, scoring eight of the next nine points to push ahead to a 22-18 score. The teams traded points for the remainder of the set, giving IPFW the 25-21 victory.
In the fourth and eventual final set, IPFW scored the first four points, coming from four different players, in the form of kills by Ashley Dillon, Roehm, and Miller, and a service ace from Dominiak. UMKC would never grab the lead in the deciding set, although closing to within two points on seven occasions in the 25-21 IPFW victory.
Brittany Fossier led the Kangaroos with 11 kills, while Elizabeth Beck, Christina McQuin, and Kate Humphreys each fell two kills shy of double figures in the statistic with eight. Danni Sperry dished out 22 assists, while Mandy Tipton led three ‘Roos in double-figure digs with 12. Humphreys had the team’s only two blocks, both coming on solo efforts with four different UMKC players picking up one service ace apiece.
The ‘Dons look to continue their run of three straight wins on Sunday afternoon, as they host the Grizzlies of Oakland University starting at 3:00 PM at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center.
