Rally Comes Up Just Short for Mastodons

Friday, November 1

Macomb, Ill.

8 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

13-13, 5-5Summit

Western Illinois

11-13, 5-4Summit

IPFW

Western Illinois

Photo by: Lucas Carter

11/1/2013 11:50:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score | Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score (.htm)

MACOMB, Ill. - Despite a season-best five players with double-digit kills, the IPFW women's volleyball team dropped a tough 5-set match to Western Illinois on the road 3-2 (17-25, 29-27, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12). Emily Spencer, Sarah Heckman, Hailie Ripley, Kendall Wienkes and Somer Johnson all finished with 10-plus kills on the night for the Mastodons (13-13, 5-5).

Spencer led all players with a game-high 21 kills and added a season-high 17 digs for her eighth double-double of the season to go along with three blocks. Heckman added a season-high 14 kills while putting down eight blocks, including a career-high four solo. Ripley would also add a season-high 13 kills while Wienkes and Johnson each added 10 on the night, also marking a season-best for Johnson.

The Mastodons took the opening two points of the first set and never looked back, never relinquishing their lead. The 'Dons opened the match on a 5-1 run, before the Leathernecks closed things to 8-6. Once again though, IPFW would go on another run, this time a 7-1 advantage to extend their lead to 13-7. Western Illinois wasn't done yet as they later scored four straight to tie the match at 15-15. The 'Dons score the next two points as they were able to hold the Leathernecks at bay from there, closing things out on another 7-1 run to take the set.

The two sides battled it out to extra points in a second set that saw 11 lead changes and 16 tied scores. After trading points and leads early on, the Mastodons led things at 10-7, the largest lead for either team. Western Illinois would get four straight midway through the set to take a 16-14 lead. After once again trading points, the 'Dons would re-take a 24-21 lead. Unfortunately for IPFW, the Leathernecks wouldn't go quietly getting four straight points to take a 25-24 lead. IPFW would again have set point at 26-25, but WIU would get two straight of their own to retake. The 'Dons would tie the score at 27, but the Leathernecks would get the last two points to tie the match headed into the break.

Things just weren't in the cards for the 'Dons in the third set and they were never able to take a lead. The Leathernecks opened up on a 3-0 run and never looked back. The Mastodons closed the gap to just a point on several occasions, but couldn't quite overtake the lead as WIU. IPFW fought and clawed all the way back to again pull within one at 18-17. Once again, Western Illinois would tally four straight as the 'Dons were unable to get it any closer.

In the fourth, the 'Dons used a late comeback after trailing 12-9 early. From there, IPFW scored five of the next six points to tie the match. The two sides would once again battle it out to the end as WIU took a 21-20 late in the set. The Mastodons would take the next four points to have set point. The 'Dons would give up the next two to the Leathernecks, but it would be Spencer putting an end to things with a kill and forcing the decisive fifth set.

Although the 'Dons scored two of the first three points, they were unable to hang onto the early lead. With the set tied at 7-7, Western Illinois took the next three points to take the lead for good as IPFW was unable to cut the Leathernecks lead to less than two.

As a team, the Mastodons finished the night with season-high totals in kills and assists and tied a season-high with 13 blocks.

Madison Spence finished with 53 assists, tying a season-high which she also accomplished in the 'Dons first match against the Leathernecks. Spence also finished the night with her ninth double-double of the year with 12 digs. Jen Milligan led IPFW in digs, tying a match-high with 18.

The 'Dons will take Saturday off before returning to the court on Sunday, November 3 for a 3 p.m. game at Omaha.