Mastodons Fall at Home to Oakland 3-1

Friday, October 12

Fort Wayne, Ind.

7 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

17-4, 7-2SL

Oakland

12-9, 5-4SL

Oakland

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

10/12/2012 9:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. --The IPFW women's volleyball team lost at the Gates Sports Center for the first time since August 25, as the Oakland Golden Grizzlies knocked off the top team in the Summit League 3-1 (22-25, 21-25, 25-16, 19-25).

The Mastodons are now 17-4 overall with a 7-2 mark in league play. The Golden Grizzlies completed the series sweep over IPFW as Oakland won the first matchup 3-2. The loss snaps an eight-game winning streak for IPFW.

Emily Spencer and Kendall Wienkes each recorded a double-double for the 'Dons. Spencer tied her season-high with 18 digs and 14 kills while Wienkes ended the night with 12 kills and 18 digs. Joining the outside hitters with a double-double performance of her own was setter Megan Steenhuysen. Steenhuysen recorded a match-high 50 assists to go along with 15 digs.

Tessa McGill and Jen Milligan led the IPFW defensive effort. McGill recorded a match-high 24 digs, while Milligan chipped in with 15.

Meghan Bray and Taylor Humm led Oakland to victory as each player reached a double figure kill total. Bray finished with 14 kills and 18 digs, and Humm was close behind with 11 kills and 20 digs.

IPFW jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening set as Emily Spencer, Kendall Wienkes and Hailie Ripley all contributed to the lead by recording one kill each. The Golden Grizzlies cut the lead to one at 5-4, and the first tie of the game came soon after at 9-9. The 'Dons lost the lead for the first time at 12-13, but regained the advantage at 15-14. Oakland was the first team to reach 20 points as a Taylor Humm kill put the Grizzlies up 20-19. Oakland enjoyed a three point lead at 23-20, but the Mastodons came fighting back to cut the lead to 22-23. After an Oakland timeout the Grizzlies reached set point off a handling error from IPFW. Oakland went on to win the set 25-22 of an IPFW attack error.

Neither team was able to build a lead early in the second set, but the crowd exploded after an Emily Spencer kill pushed the score to 9-7. The Mastodons made two great plays to keep the ball alive and Spencer finished the series with a kill on the far side of the court. Oakland attempted to kill the momentum by taking a timeout as they trailed 10-7. The pause in the action worked as a service error and an attack error got them within a point.

Kendall Wienkes recorded back-to-back kills for IPFW pushing the lead to 13-10, but another service error stopped the scoring streak and the Grizzlies once again cut the lead to one. After seeing the game tied at 13-13 the Mastodons went on a 3-0 run, but unfortunately for the 'Dons another service error stopped the streak and the game would once again be tied at 16-16. IPFW was the first team to reach 20 points, but the Grizzlies quickly responded to tie the game. Oakland ended the game on a four-point scoring streak by capitalizing on IPFW errors. They took a 2-0 lead into the break with a 25-21 win.

Oakland jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the third set which forced IPFW to burn a timeout. The Mastodons went with a change of pace in the third by substituting freshmen Sarah Heckman and Katie Higginbotham into the match. The timeout helped IPFW as the Mastodons quickly tied the game at 7-7. The 'Dons took the lead briefly after a block from Ripley, but Oakland responded to tie the game at 8-8.

Oakland scored three straight points after the tie, but the lead would not last long as IPFW countered with a four-point run that forced Oakland into using a timeout. The game tightened up as the score was tied 14-14 midway through the set. IPFW went on another three-point run to open up at 17-14 lead. The streak would force Oakland into using their final timeout of the game. Out of the break it was Emily Spencer who recorded a service ace and Hailie Ripley that recorded a block to increase the lead to 19-14. Oakland never fully recovered as IPFW avoided the sweep with a 25-16 win.

The beginning of the fourth set was the exact opposite of the third as it was IPFW jumping out to the 7-4 lead and Oakland using the early timeout. The Golden Grizzlies made some adjustments, cut the lead, and eventually took an 11-10 edge which forced IPFW into a timeout. Oakland scored out of the break, but a kill from Ripley would give the serve back to IPFW. The turning point in the match came soon after as Oakland pushed the score to 20-15 after a string of kills from Meghan Bray. Bray got the Golden Grizzlies to 23 points and Amanda Baker put Oakland at match point. IPFW never quit, but the Grizzlies would take the victory 25-19.

The Mastodons will step away from Summit League play next week as the team travels to Toledo to face the Rockets on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.

~ Feel the Rumble ~