INDIANAPOLIS – The Greyhound volleyball team (6-1) rattled off a pair of sweeps on Saturday to close out the UIndy Invite, picking up wins over in-region Saginaw Valley and Davenport.
 
Senior setter Alyssa Spears totaled 77 assists in the victories, while also scooping up 12 digs against Davenport.
 
UIndy 3, Saginaw Valley 0
It was a back-and-forth battle between the Greyhounds and Cardinals in the Saturday opener, before Spears put away a sneak attack to kill the Saginaw Valley rally and give UIndy the first-set win.
 
Spears managed a balanced attack against the Cardinals, with five players recording at least four kills. Emma Jones led the team with five kills in the second frame, while Taylor Jacquay posted four putaways to finish her night with nine kills on .412 hitting.
 
Saginaw Valley led late in the third set before UIndy earned five straight points to finish off the sweep. Grace Hegwood – who replaced Jacquay on the outside – tallied three digs and a kill, while recording a service ace. Fellow rookie Elizabeth Eads finished with seven kills, including four in the final frame.
 

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— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) September 14, 2019

UIndy 3, Davenport 0
It was much of the same in the night cap for the Greyhounds, squeezing by the Panthers in the first set before working the visitors in the next game to take a 2-0 lead.  UIndy led the entire third set before finishing Davenport, with De'Janea Johnson recording her first career kill in the win.
 
Katie Furlong had a match-best 16 kills, while Spears handed out 43 assists. Seven Greyhounds recorded at least four kills against the Panthers, as Jacquay (9) and Hannah Huppenbauer (8) combined for 17 successful attacks.
 
Spears led the team with 12 digs in the win, while MaKenna Barnhart, Jena Davis and Gillian Santana each scooped up six.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Spears averaged 11.00 assists/set over the weekend, which saw the Greyhounds go 2-1 against teams receiving votes in the AVCA national poll.
- Jacquay saw action in just four sets on Saturday, recording nine in each match. The junior attacked at a .533 clip in the victories.
- Three middle blockers – Eads, Huppenbauer and Kyra Simmons – combined to hit .429 in the sweeps, with Simmons totaling 10 kills herself on the day.
 
HOUND BYTES
Spears, on the two wins: "I think it's really important to know we took a five-set loss yesterday. We came into today with a really good mindset so it was really nice to see us bounce back."
 
Spears, on her third double-double of the season: "It's so funny because I don't really keep up how I do. In my position, I literally wouldn't be able to do any of that without my teammates. I have such great hitters that I can rely on to put the ball away. As far as digs, that's to the coaches for putting my in the right spot. I really owe that to Julie especially for running our defense so great."
 
Spears, on the revolving door of middle blockers and their constant success: "I think it's interesting because if you have an upperclassman middle, you just assume they'll play and do great. For us, it's not even a matter of who's doing better, it's the best matchup. That's an incredible asset to have on your team. We have a deep bench and can put anyone in at any time and do well."
 
UP NEXT
UIndy will round out non-conference action next weekend with three in-region programs on the docket. The Greyhounds will travel east to Ohio for matchups with Tiffin, Findlay and No. 19 Hillsdale.