Mastodons Claim Summit Title with Comeback over Kangaroos

Thursday, November 11

Kansas City, Mo.

8:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

20-9, 14-3

UMKC

9-20, 6-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
IPFW	19	22	25	25	15	3
UMKC	25	25	19	17	11	2

Stephanie Lamberti had a match-high 14 kills as IPFW clinched the Summit League regular season title

Mastodons Claim Summit Title with Comeback over Kangaroos

11/11/2010 10:06:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE

Kansas City, MO - The IPFW Mastodons claimed the 2010 Summit League regular season crown with a comeback victory over the Kangaroos of UMKC on Thursday evening 19-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-11.

The regular season title guarantees IPFW the top seed in the upcoming Summit League Tournament, and will have the Mastodons host the 2011 Summit League Championships. The win also guarantees IPFW (20-9, 14-3 Summit League) its second consecutive 20-win season, and the 25th in the storied history of the program.

For the second consecutive match, all three IPFW seniors reached double figure kills, led by Stephanie Lamberti, who had 14, while Maya Schlindwein had a dozen, and Taryn Parker 10. Alli Hook finished a kill shy of double figures with nine, as Jade Cunningham added six. Megan Steenhuysen dished out 42 assists for the 'Dons, as Taryn Parker had a career-high five service aces.

Sophomore libero Tessa McGill had a match-high 35 digs, tied for the sixth highest single-match total in school history, and giving her four matches this season with 30 or more digs. Three other 'Dons reached double-figures in the same statistic, led by Lamberti and Jen Milligan, who each had 13, and Schlindwein who added 10 for her 10th double-double of the year. Parker and Schlindwein each had five blocks for IPFW, with Alli Hook adding four.

UMKC (9-20, 6-11 Summit League) jumped out quickly to start the match, scoring the first three points of the contest. The Mastodons fought back and took leads at 7-6 and 11-10; however, the Kangaroos went on a tear over the remainder of the frame, out-scoring IPFW 15-8 the rest of the way to cruise to a 25-19 opening-set win.

The second set saw the 'Roos once again jump ahead early, but IPFW could only tie the score, as the hosts led wire-to-wire in the frame, claiming the 25-22 win, and putting the 'Dons a set away from elimination.

UMKC once again jumped out to a lead to start a set, leading the third set 4-3 before the Mastodons scored four straight points, including a pair of service aces from Parker, to lead 8-4. UMKC fought back to tie the score as late as 17 apiece, but could not get over the top, as IPFW closed the set on an 8-2 run to win the set by a six-point margin at 25-19.

A Schlindwein ace and a Parker block got the Mastodon scoring going in the fourth set, as IPFW trailed just once, at 6-5. The Mastodons pulled away late in the set, turning a 10-9 lead into a 25-17 win, highlighted by a 7-0 run that turned a two-point margin into a nine-point lead, ending the set ahead by eight at 25-17.

IPFW has been no stranger to five-set matches this season, coming into the match with a 6-2 record when the contest goes the full distance, and improved that to 7-2, and 2-0 when those games were on the road.

The 'Roos led by one before five straight Mastodon points put IPFW ahead by four at 11-7. UMKC would only get as close as two, as late as 13-11, before kills from Lamberti and Schlindwein closed the door on the hosts, giving the 'Dons the regular season Summit League title.

Christiana McQuin led four 'Roos in double-figure kills with 13, as Kelsey Knoche and Brittany Robers each had a dozen. Kayla Riggs had 33 digs, with Elizabeth Beck, Demetria Williams, and McQuin each blocking five Mastodon kill attempts.

IPFW closes its regular season on Saturday, November 13, when the squad will face off against the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah University, with first serve slated for 9:00 PM EST in Cedar City, Utah.

~Dons~