Mastodons Rebound as Milligan Reaches Milestone

Saturday, September 7

Cleveland, Ohio

12:30 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

4-1

Cleveland State

4-2

IPFW

Cleveland State

Photo by: Lucas Carter

Mastodons Rebound as Milligan Reaches Milestone

9/7/2013 2:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE | BOX SCORE (.pdf)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - IPFW senior libero Jen Milligan became the program's 16th member of the 1,000-dig club, as the Mastodons snapped a two-match losing skid with a 3-1 (25-17, 29-27, 17-25, 25-21) victory over the Cleveland State Vikings in the team's second match of the Cleveland State Invitational.

Emily Spencer, who last night was held in double-figure kills for the first time in her last 23 matches, knocked down a match-high 22 kills, while Katie Higginbotham added 13, Hailie Ripley nine, and Sarah Heckman seven kills. Madison Spence dished out 45 assists, while Milligan had 21 digs to lead the team, with Spencer and Spence chipping in 11 and 10, respectively. Hailie Ripley had six blocks, as Natasha Medic and Sarah Heckman each had five blocks in the victory.

Milligan's 21 digs give her 1,010 for her career, pushing her past former teammate Megan Steenhuysen into 15th place in the school record book, and five away from passing Rebekah Roehm for 14th.

The opening set started as a back-and-forth affair, with the teams tied at every number increment from one through seven when IPFW (4-2) rattled off two straight points to lead 9-7, and never trailed again in the set. The Mastodons used a pair of 4-0 runs to help push the visitors to a 17-10 lead, and a late 5-0 run sealed the deal in IPFW's 25-17 victory.

The Vikings (4-2) jumped out quickly in the second set, leading by as many as six at 13-7 before the Mastodons started to rally. IPFW trailed 18-14 before the 'Dons scored five straight to take their first lead of the set at 19-18. From that point on, neither team would take more than a one-point lead, as the teams were tied at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 before IPFW got a combo block from Natasha Medic and Sarah Heckman to go up 28-27, and then a Heckman kill to secure the 29-27 victory.

Cleveland State led 7-4 early, and never trailed again in the set in a 25-17 Viking victory.

In the deciding fourth set, IPFW trailed only at 2-0, before IPFW ran off four straight points and pushed to a 4-2 lead. The set was tied multiple times - six times in all - but the Vikings could not take another lead. The 'Dons closed the match strong, using a 7-5 run to seal the deal, closing the match with a Heckman kill to win the set and match.

Grace Kauth and Kerry Winchester each had 13 kills for the Vikings, while Christina Toth had 10 kills in the losing effort. Nikki Holmes had 14 digs, while Aaliyah Slappy and Kelly Kiger each had five blocks.

The Mastodons take back to the court at 4:30 this afternoon, when the squad faces High Point in the final match of the Cleveland State Invitational.

~ Feel the Rumble ~