HAMMOND, Ind. – The UIndy volleyball team dropped a pair of battles at the 15th annual Midwest Region Crossover at the Hammond Sportsplex on Friday.
 
Setter Claire Morris recorded her 1,000th career assist against Ferris State, as Sophia Parlanti knocked down the pass for the team's second point of the match.
 

That's a lot of helpers!

Claire Morris surpassed 1,000 career assists early in the first set against Ferris State. The redshirt-sophomore becomes the 14th ever Greyhound to reach the milestone! pic.twitter.com/JT7ya524cM

— UIndy Volleyball (@UIndyVball) October 13, 2023

Ferris State 3, UIndy 0
The freshmen-heavy Greyhounds were unable to string together enough runs in the morning match, dropping the three-set decision to No. 19 Ferris State. Parlanti led the team with eight kills, with Lauren Cullison close behind with seven on .227 hitting.
 
UIndy rookies accounted for 10 of the team's 27 kills against the Bulldogs, as Riley Laine added a pair of blocks to her five finishes. Libero Ellie Spang also scooped up 12 digs on the back line, contributing three assists and one service ace to the offense.
 
Back-to-back kills from Cullison gave the Hounds a 14-12 advantage midway through the first set, but the Bulldogs rattled off 13 of the next 15 points to win the game. The 19th-ranked team in the country then scored eight consecutive tallies in the second to take full control of the contest.
 
Findlay 3, UIndy 1
The Hounds put up a fight, securing a win in the third set. However, the Oilers responded and earned the win in four. Parlanti once again led the team in kills with 14, while Laine finished with seven blocks.
 
UIndy scored the final six points of the third game, including three with blocks from Laine and Morris. Parlanti chipped in two of her five kills of the frame during the stretch.
 
The three primary defensive specialists – Macy Bruton, Lauren Peal, and Spang – combined for 36 digs. The junior Peal led the Hounds with 14 scoops.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
- Morris became the 14th ever Greyhound to reach the 1,000-assist milestone. The last to do so was Alex Equihua during the 2021 campaign.  
- Two of Laine's blocks against Findlay were solo stops, as the rookie was also in on five of the assisted variety.
- Bruton played in all four sets in the night cap, tallying a season-high nine digs.
- Meredith Simmons added six kills against Findlay.
 
UP NEXT
UIndy will face one final regional opponent on Saturday with Northwood now on tap for 12:30 p.m. ET in Hammond. The Greyhounds have won eight of the 11 meetings between the programs dating back to 1994, including a pair of four-set victories since Jason Reed began his tenure in 2013.