Four Peat: IU Kokomo wins another RSC Volleyball Championship

11/14/2021 12:00:00 AM

By IU Kokomo Sports Information:

KOKOMO, Ind. – The Indiana University Kokomo volleyball team swept Indiana Unversity Southeast in the River States Conference Championship semifinal before sweeping Midway (Ky.) University in the finals to win its fourth straight RSC tournament title on Saturday, Nov. 13. The Cougars, who swept the RSC regular season and postseason championships, enter the NAIA National Championship with an overall record of 28-8.

RSC SEMIFINALS -- IU KOKOMO 3, IU SOUTHEAST 0
The opening set was tightly contested throughout and saw IU Southeast lead by as many as four. Trailing 16-12, the Cougars used a 5-0 run to propel themselves to a lead at 17-16. The Cougars would not trail for the remainder of the opening set as they won it 25-19.

The Cougars began the second set by winning the first three points to force an early IU Southeast timeout. Leading 10-7, IU Kokomo went on a 5-0 run fueled by three Audrey Strawsma kills, to take an eight-point lead and force the final IU Southeast timeout of the set. The Grenadiers came out of the timeout motivated and battled the Cougars tightly for the remainder of the set. IU Southeast was within a point at 24-23 but a Sidney Gerig kill gave the Cougars a 25-23 second set win.

IU Kokomo held IU Southeast to a match-low -.139 hitting percentage on their way to a dominant 25-11 third set win. The Cougars led by just two points at 5-3, but a 6-0 run gave IUK an 11-3 third set lead. IU Kokomo won 14 of the final seven points to take a 25-11 third set victory, giving the Cougars the sweep over IU Southeast.

RSC Player of the Year Erinn Adam led the Cougars with 13 kills and six blocks. Strawsma had nine kills and Gerig added eight kills.

Alyvia Smith led IU Kokomo with 20 digs while Kendal Williams paced IUK with 22 assists. Morgan Weir had three aces to lead the Cougars.

RSC FINALS -- IU KOKOMO 3, MIDWAY 0
IU Kokomo came into the championship matchup with an electric home crowd behind them. The Cougars won the first three points of the match behind two Sidney Gerig kills and an Eagle attack error. Midway trailed by three still at 10-7 before IU Kokomo won six straight points to take a commanding 16-7 set opening set lead. The Cougars comfortably won the first set 25-16.

The second set was the most tightly contested set of the Championship match. A very even set in which both teams had 11 kills and seven attack errors, the Cougars were able to win the points when it mattered.

Midway led once at 11-10 in the second set but a 4-0 run from IU Kokomo soon gave the Cougars their largest lead of the set at 17-12. The Eagles were within two at 24-22 but a Midway attack error gave IU Kokomo a 25-22 set victory and two sets to none lead over Midway.

The Cougars hit for a match high .571 hitting percentage in the final set of the championship match on their way to a 25-18 third set victory. With the set tied at four early on, a Lorelei Porter kill gave
the Cougars a lead they would not relinquish. IU Kokomo controlled the remainder of the set on their way to a sweep of the Midway Eagles in the RSC Championship match.

IU Kokomo will begin NAIA National Championship play next Saturday, November 20^th.