Box scores
UIndy 3, Saginaw Valley St. 1
UIndy 3, Ferris St. 0

BIG RAPIDS, Mich.- The University of Indianapolis volleyball team began its 2009 campaign on the right foot Friday by going two-for-two at the Ferris State Invitational.  The Greyhounds downed Saginaw Valley State in four sets (25-13, 13-25, 25-16, 25-23) before sweeping host Ferris State (25-19, 25-13, 27-25).  UIndy finishes play in the event with two more matches Saturday.

MATCH 1
In the morning match, the Greyhounds faced SVSU in Jim Wink Arena, the location of courts 2 & 3.  The season began with what was perhaps a good omen, as senior Kyleigh Turner smashed an ace on the match's first point.  The teams battled to a 3-3 tie before the Hounds began to pull away.

With the score 8-6 UIndy, sophomore Kristina Hefferan pounded three aces to help the Hounds open up a 14-7 advantage.  The Cardinals would not get closer than five from that point, as UIndy took the first game 25-13.

Saginaw, a Sweet Sixteen team last season, returned the favor in game two, downing the Hounds by that exact score.  SVSU held the Greyhounds to a negative hitting percentage in the second to even the match at one apiece.

The trend continued in the match's third set, as UIndy handed the Cardinals a convincing 25-16 defeat.  Indianapolis trailed 9-6 at one point, but, on the strength of Turner's serve, the Hounds rolled off six straight points and remained ahead the balance of the set by finishing on a 19-7 run.

After the three decisive wins, game four produced the only real drama of the match.  With the Cardinals leading for nearly the entire set – though they never led by more the four – the Hounds seemed to face a constant uphill battle.  With the score 23-20 Saginaw Valley, UIndy surged with a 5-0 rally to deny the Cardinals a chance at a fifth set.  The final frame ended with a double block from Hefferan and Hannah Kelzer.

Hefferan led the way with 10 kills, followed by nine from Kristina Kerrigan and seven by Lyndsay Callahan, who also added 10 digs.  New setter Chenta Morrison contributed 29 assists and Turner finished with a match-high 16 digs.

MATCH 2
The Greyhounds had less trouble with Ferris State in the capper.  UIndy out-hit the Bulldogs by nearly 170 percentage points in the straight-sets victory, including a .440 to -.040 drumming in the second frame.

A majority of the second-set damage came on an impressive 14-3 run by the Hounds.  With a slim 11-10 lead, UIndy stepped on the gas and ran off 14 quick ones, the final three of which coming on swings from Callahan.

Just as in Friday's first match, the final set was the highlight.  The opponents battled back and forth through much of the game before the Hounds surged to a 23-19 edge to close in on the sweep.

FSU didn't fold easily, as the home team scored five straight to nearly force a fourth set, but the Greyhounds were ready to wrap it up, however, as they clawed their way back to win 27-25 to take the match.

Four Hounds hit .300 or better, including Callahan, who managed a .435 percentage while notching the first UIndy double-double of the season (12 K, 10 D).

Courtney Anglemyer had just one error on 11 swings, Turner scooped 18 Bulldog attacks, while Kelzer added seven kills and a team-high three blocks.

The 10-team Ferris State Invitational concludes with nine matches on three courts tomorrow.  Indianapolis begins play versus Division II Minnesota ,Crookston at 9:30 a.m., before facing Northwood – an '08 NCAA Tournament participant – at 2:30 p.m.