HAMMOND, Ind. — UIndy outlasted Michigan Tech in five sets on Saturday, wrapping up action at the annual Midwest Region Crossover. The Greyhounds finished with 71 kills and a .250 hitting percentage while adding 95 digs, compared to Tech's 68 kills, .203 percentage, and 80 scoops.
The teams traded sets in the contest before the Hounds earned the 17-15 victory in the final frame.
The Greyhounds opened the first set with kills by
Maddie Lynch and
Grace Portwood and moved in front 4-1 on a block by Portwood and
Allison Jansen. After Michigan Tech cut it to 4-3, kills by
Maddie Berger and
Makenzie Pflederer helped the Greyhounds build an 8-3 lead, but Michigan Tech later narrowed the set to 9-8. The Greyhounds answered with four straight points, including a
Carly Fonda ace and a Lynch kill, to go up 13-8, and later stayed ahead 19-14 on kills by Jansen and Pflederer. Michigan Tech closed within 19-17 and then 22-20, but a block by Berger and
Kelsey McKenney, another Fonda ace and Pflederer's final kill closed out a 25-21 first-set win.
The Greyhounds moved in front early in the third set with Pflederer serving, using kills by Lynch and Fonda around a Michigan Tech attack error to build a 5-1 lead. Michigan Tech worked back into the set and tied it at 17-17 with three straight block-assisted points, but Lynch answered with a kill before
Amaree Haralson served four straight Greyhounds points, including two aces, for a 22-17 advantage. Michigan Tech cut the margin to 23-22, but a service error gave the Greyhounds set point, and Berger and McKenney combined on the block that finished a 25-22 set win.
The Greyhounds broke a 2-2 tie with four straight points, getting kills from Pflederer and Lynch before blocks involving Lynch,
Riley Laine and Pflederer helped build a 6-2 lead. Michigan Tech worked back to 9-9 with a run that included a Rachel Zurek service ace and a Paige Wagner kill, and the teams traded points through ties at 10-10, 11-11 and 12-12. The Greyhounds moved in front 13-12 on a Michigan Tech attack error, but the home side answered and reached 15-14 on a Jacqueline Yancy kill. Lynch tied the set at 15-15, and Berger put down back-to-back kills from Haralson to close the Greyhounds' 17-15 fifth-set win.
Both Pflederer and Portwood notched double-doubles in the win, while senior libero
Macy Bruton recorded a match-high 28 digs. Lynch inched up the program leaderboard for kills and now sits at 944 in her three-year career.
UIndy returns to GLVC play next weekend, visiting McKendree on Friday evening in Lebanon, Ill.
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