CLARION, Pa. – A career day from junior Becca Lira helped the UIndy volleyball team start the season on the right foot, defeating North Alabama 3-2 (25-21, 25-27, 25-16, 17-25, 15-10) in a dramatic five set match at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament in Clarion, Pa.

Lira racked up a career-high 22 kills while hitting .413 (22-3-46), adding 10 digs, two block assists and a solo block to her stat line.

UIndy (1-0) overcame early deficits in each of the first two sets, taking the first 25-21 but dropping the next, 27-25. The Hounds got kills from six different contributors in the first set, hitting .296 as a team. UNA (0-1) responded with a .310 attack percentage to knot the match at 1-1.

The Hounds controlled the third set from start to finish, hitting a match-high .371 as a team. Lira totaled five kills and junior Shelby Ruffner added four, included the 25th and final point of the game. Senior Hailey Brown recorded eight digs in the set and UIndy as a team finished with three blocks.

Roles reversed in the fourth, as the Lions tied the match 2-2 with a 25-17 win. UNA was on fire offensively, hitting .519.

The fifth and decisive set went back-and-forth with each team matching the other on the scoreboard. UIndy finally opened up a narrow lead thanks to a few attack errors from the Lions, and Lira sealed the victory with a service ace on match point.

Junior setter Natalie Wichern tallied 43 assists and a pair of service aces. Brown led the squad with 14 digs, adding seven kills. Ruffner and sophomore Kacee Salyers each finished with five block assists, and freshman Katie Voelz had four.

UIndy returns to action at 5 p.m. today, facing Gannon University.

NOTES
- The two squads met three times prior to Friday's early match, with North Alabama, out of the Gulf South Athletic Conference, holding a slight 2-1 series edge.
- The last meeting was Sept. 4, 2009 in North Alabama. The Greyhounds won 3-2.
- Third-year Head Coach Jason Reed picked up his 45th victory at UIndy and is now 45-21 overall.
- Becca Lira's previous career high was 16 kills, set Oct. 18, 2014 versus Hillsdale.
- Shelby Ruffner and freshmen Katie Voelz, Bri Heffernan, and Kate Bontrager made their first appearances in the Greyhound uniform.