INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy volleyball squad totaled a season-high 15 blocks in an impressive 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) win against McKendree Saturday in the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center.
The Greyhounds (8-11, 5-4 GLVC) wreaked havoc at the net, accumulating their highest block total since a four-set win against Rockhurst back on Nov. 23, 2013. Individually, junior
Shelby Ruffner and freshman
Katie Voelz led the way with six block assists each, Ruffner adding a solo rejection, as well.
"We weren't going to let them put anything down on our floor," junior
Becca Lira said, following the match. Lira contributed four block assists to go along with 10 kills and eight digs. "We've been working on blocking all week and I think we're all just focusing on finishing our blocks."
The effort helped the Hounds pick up arguably the most important win of the season to this point. The Bearcats (12-6, 7-2) sit second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division, trailing only nationally-ranked Lewis in the standings. McKendree's lone conference loss was against then-No. 13 Rockhurst (Sept. 26), until it ran into UIndy.
"It was a really big win for us," Lira acknowledged. "We've had to fight since the beginning of the season, so the win is a big thing for this group of girls. We came out ready to compete, and I think it's going to carry over to the rest of the season."
The Greyhounds got off to a hot start, hitting .391 as a team in the opening set while holding the visitors to a .135 mark.
UIndy continued in the second with a narrow 25-23 victory. The squads went back-and-forth until sophomore Kacee Salyer's fifth kill of the set sealed the win.
McKendree extended the match with a 25-23 win in the third set, but the Hounds would not be denied in the fourth. Up 24-23, Lira and Ruffner stuffed Arela Williams' attack to clinch the victory in dramatic fashion. Â
Salyers finished the match with 10 kills, two solo blocks and three block assists. Freshman
Kate Bontrager led the Hounds with 11 kills, hitting .364 (11-3-22) while adding three block assists. Fellow classmate
Maggie Gibson had 37 assists, 11 digs and two block assists.
Senior
Jamie Wallace tied a career-high and led the squad with 13 digs, and
Hailey Brown totaled seven digs as the Hounds' libero.
UIndy travels to Aurora, Ill., next weekend to compete in the Midwest Crossover. Schedules and opponents will be determined later today.
NOTES- The Greyhounds are 4-3 all-time against McKendree, and snapped a three-match losing skid to the Bearcats.
- UIndy's previous team-high in blocks was 12 at Cedarville (Sept. 8).
- Gibson's double-double is the third of her career.
- Bontrager's .364 attack percentage is her highest mark in matches in which she's had at least 10 attempts.
- Wallace's last 13-dig match was earlier this season against 10th-ranked Wheeling Jesuit (Sept. 10).
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