INDIANAPOLIS – Despite suffering a four-set defeat in the first of two matches on Friday, the UIndy volleyball team (4-2) played with relentless tenacity against Harding in the nightcap to edge out the Bisons in four frames.
 
Sophomore Katie Furlong combined for 45 kills on the day, including a career-high 29 against Harding. Classmate Taylor Jacquay also tallied a career-high kills with 18 against the Bisons, while hitting .269.
 
Emily Ellis led the Hounds in the match against Winona State with a .235 attack percentage, adding seven kills.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Winona State
After struggling in the first set, the Greyhounds used a second-game victory to get back into the match thanks to Julia Kruzan and her six kills.
 
UIndy hit .281 as a squad in the third set compared to Winona State's .143, but squandered a late lead to lose the frame. Furlong had the final two kills of the set for the Hounds, but the Warriors won seven of the final eight rallies to steal the win.
 
Trailing 6-1, the Greyhounds clawed back in the fourth set. UIndy won five straight rallies late in the match, with Furlong and Kruzan recording kills, but Winona State pulled away to win the final set, 25-23.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Harding
The humid temperature in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center did not phase the Greyhounds in their second match of the day, as they easily won the opening set, 25-15, while hitting .395 as a team.
 
Harding returned the favor in the second set, however, handing the Hounds a 25-17 defeat. UIndy scored four straight points late, but it was all but over before Harding put the exclamation point to tie the match at one set apiece.
 
The third set was a fight, but the Greyhounds pulled it out with some well-timed service aces by Taylor Jacquay and Alyssa Spears. After Harding tied the set at 22, Katie Voelz joined the ace party with one of her own before Jacquay sealed the game win with a kill.
 
The Greyhounds and Bisons played dead-even until it was 15-all. Spears capped a four-point run with her second kill of the match before Kruzan bookended a Jacquay successful attack for a Greyhounds' win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Hounds had three players turn in a double-digit kill performance against Winona State, including Kruzan and Jacquay recording 12 apiece to add to Furlong's 16-kill contest. Kruzan was active on the defensive end, as well, assisting on four blocks.
 
Spears dished out 57 assists, a new career-best, in the win over Harding. The junior had a solid overall match, recording 10 digs, three service aces, and two kills.
 
Five Greyhounds had double-figure digs in the win, led by sophomore libero Olivia Martin with 31 scoops. Furlong (13), Jacquay (11), and Jena Davis (10) joined Martin and Spears with at least 10 digs.
 
UIndy has now strung together four consecutive matches with an attack percentage of at least .210 after not doing so in 2017. The 29 kills for Furlong against Harding is also the third 20+-kill match of the young season for the Greyhounds, a feat the team did not accomplish once a year ago.
 
HOUND BYTES
Head coach Jason Reed: "I'm extremely proud of how this team fought in both matches today. As long as we play our game, we know we compete with anyone and beat some pretty good teams."
 
"We wanted to schedule four great opponents this weekend and we truly believe this can be a great test for the rest of the year. We didn't play our best against Winona, but that's not a knock against them. They're a pretty good team and they just out-played us."
 
"Tomorrow will be fun to see how well we continue to execute, as long as we stay within our system. Upper Iowa and Mines are going to be extremely tough."
 
UP NEXT
The UIndy Invitational will begin at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center and Nicoson Hall. The Hounds will battle with Upper Iowa, twice winners on Friday, at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the fourth annual tournament with No. 17 Mines at 7 p.m.