INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy volleyball team upped its winning streak to seven on Friday, sweeping Southwest Baptist in the GLVC opener from Ruth Lilly Fitness Center.
 
Middle blockers Elizabeth Eads and Hannah Sabotin showed out in the victory, accounting for half (22) of the team's kills (44). Freshman middle Riley Laine also joined in on the fun, totaling two kills on four attempts in the third set.
 
Setter Claire Morris controlled the match for the Hounds, recording 36 assists, seven digs, and five blocks.
 
INS & OUTS
The team traded points deep into the opening game before Lauren Cullison put the Hounds in the lead for good. It was Sabotin who officially forced the teams to switch sides, sandwiching kills around Cullison's fifth of the frame.
 
It was all Greyhounds in the second set, with the team hitting .414 on 14 kills and just two attacking errors. UIndy also recorded four its eight blocks – Morris in on three – while libero Ellie Spang scooped up eight of her 14 digs in the second.
 
Southwest Baptist nearly forced a fourth frame, putting together a 12-3 run late in the third to lead, 23-22. The Greyhounds punched back, with a kill from Laine ending the threat and the match.
 

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Down go the Bearcats in the #GLVCvb opener! pic.twitter.com/V4s9p8m7r5

— UIndy Volleyball (@UIndyVball) September 23, 2023

INSIDE THE BOX
- Eads tallied four kills in each set.
- Grace Hegwood led all players not named Spang with nine digs, while adding seven kills.
- UIndy sided out at an 84 percent clip in the dominating second set.
 
MORE NOTES
The Greyhounds now lead the all-time series, 5-0, and have swept the Bearcats on three occasions … the match featured nine ties and three lead changes … SBU's Ella Rademaker led the team with 12 kills on .286 hitting … UIndy has won five of its last six GLVC openers.
 
HOUND BYTES
Sabotin on the team's mentality going into the match…
"We wanted to focus on playing our game. We had a couple really good days of practice and I think we went off that."
 
Eads on the strengths in the sweep…
"One of our strengths was keeping calm when things got chaotic on their side of the net. Southwest Baptist is a really scrappy team with a lot of really good players. Staying calm and playing our game is how I think we got our success tonight."
 
UP NEXT
UIndy welcomes Drury to the Circle City tomorrow afternoon with a first serve scheduled for 3 p.m. The Panthers fell to No. 20 Lewis in straight sets on Friday night in Romeoville, Ill.