INDIANAPOLIS – Junior Becca Lira dropped in 20 kills in a three-set sweep (25-19, 25-19, 25-22) over visiting Missouri-St. Louis Saturday in the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center, helping the Greyhounds move to 2-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

UIndy (4-7, 2-0 GLVC) hit a season-best .320 as a team, led by Lira's blistering .500 (20-2-36) clip, and kept the Tritons (4-6, 1-1) to a .170 percentage. Lira also recorded a double-double with 10 digs to complement her 20 kills.
 
"That's a testament to what Becca has done all season," Head Coach Jason Reed commented following the win. "We haven't had the results we've wanted, but she's had kind of those same numbers all the way up to tonight. The fact that she did it again tonight isn't a really big surprise for us. She's doing a great job."

It was evident early in the match Lira was going to make an impact, as the Granger, Ind., native recorded five kills within the Hounds' first nine points. Despite her quick start UMSL jumped out to a 14-10 lead to earn its biggest lead of the set. The Hounds answered, however, with a 10-1 run to regain control of the game and take the opening set. Both squads hit above .300 in the first set, but it was the Hounds' .405 mark that helped take a 1-0 match lead.

The UIndy attack continued to roll in the second frame, with Lira again the individual leader with six kills. Senior Hailey Brown and sophomore Kacee Salyers each had multiple kills, and freshman Bri Heffernan totaled six of her team-high 22 digs.

The Hounds capped the sweep with a 25-22 victory in a hard-fought third set. The game featured multiple lengthy volleys, as both sides displayed impressive effort and resolve. In the end UIndy pulled away, helped by five Hounds totaling three-plus kills.

Brown and Salyers each finished with 10 kills, and Brown added 11 digs to record a double-double. Junior setter Natalie Wichern racked up 38 assists and 10 digs.

Along with the victory comes UIndy's first win streak of the season. Prior to GLVC play the Hounds competed in two competitive tournaments, most recently facing three top-ten teams in as many days.

"We've been in those pressure situations, and I think you see that on the floor now," Reed noted. "It gets to be tight in the third set tonight and you look across the net and (Missouri-St. Louis) is a little tight, and I look out at our girls and they've been there before."

UIndy hits the road next weekend, meeting Drury Friday, Sept. 25, and Missouri S&T the following Saturday.

NOTES
- UIndy is now 16-12 all-time versus UMSL, winning 16 of the last 17 meetings dating back to 2000.
- Lira was one kill shy of the program's three-set match record of 21, set by Shaun Mcallister back in 2004.