Point Park beats IU Kokomo in RSC Game of the Week (w/ Video)
Point Park beats IU Kokomo in RSC Game of the Week (w/ Video)
(By Point Park Sports Information) Video Highlights / Stats
PITTSBURGH -- Point Park University volleyball notched a big victory with a 3-1 win over visiting IU Kokomo on Saturday in the River States Conference Game of the Week at the Student Center Gym in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The Pioneers (6-12, 2-0 RSC) have now won five of their last seven games, and they made it a 2-0 weekend to open up conference play. That's when coupled with Friday night's 3-1 home win over IU East.
Just like it did on Friday, Point Park dropped the first set versus IU Kokomo (8-3, 1-1 RSC). But it stayed the course to win the match 19-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22.
The matchup was tabbed the River States Conference Game of the Week given that it was rematch of last year's conference tournament finals won by IU Kokomo, 3-1.
It was a tight match throughout, but Point Park got the key points to close out sets two, three and four. The first set was tied 10-10, the second set was tied 12-12 and the third set was tied 14-14.
Down a set, IU Kokomo opened up a 12-6 lead in the fourth. But Point Park battled back to tie things at 15-15.
A couple of big points had the Pioneers build a 20-18 lead on an impressive kill by Shiloh Simonson down the sideline. Moments later, the Pioneers mainted the lead at 23-21. It was a big point that followed an extended rally.
Freshman Madeline Poirier had a team-high 11 kills for Point Park, including one that went down for match point. Ashley Taylor had 10 kills and 17 digs.
Point Park setter Emily Meng had a big match with 36 assists, 23 digs and six kills. Fellow senior Simonson added nine kills and 10 digs. The defense was a team effort with Morgan Dangelo and Julia Menosky also posting double-digit digs with 14 and 12, respectively.
Nicole Sandmann led IU Kokomo with 11 kills. The Cougars had 50 total kills come from nine different players. Keeana Walton put down eight kills while Lindi Thomas, McKenna Lundy and Elyse Younger recorded seven each.
Cougars libero Kaleigh Ensley came up with 20 digs, and Thomas added 18. Casey Colgate led the offense with 26 assists.
It is the only regular-season meeting of the year for Point Park and IU Kokomo, which are in the River States Conference East and West Divisions, respectively.
Point Park plays its next two matches at home with a Sept. 20 meeting with Carlow and a Sept. 27 date with Rio Grande in River States Conference action. IU Kokomo steps out of confernce for its next match Sept. 20 at home versus IU Northwest.