Story courtesy of Indiana University Kokomo Athletics

SIOUX CITY, Iowa. - The 11th ranked IU Kokomo volleyball team, led by 12th year head coach Heather Hayes, beat #19 Midland in four-sets Thursday to eliminate the Warriors and set up a win or go home scenario for Friday's Pool F finale between the Cougars and sixth ranked Eastern Oregon.

The Cougars will return to the Tyson Events Center Friday afternoon to take on the Mountaineers of EOU, as the two programs will battle for the first time ever for a spot in the NAIA National Championship Quarterfinals. First-serve is set for 4:30 PM CT/5:30 PM ET.

IU Kokomo led 3-1 early in the opening set thanks to a pair of kills from Lexi Broyles and one from Mya Grigsby. After Midland took an 8-6 lead of their own, the Cougars held a narrow 13-12 lead midway through the set. 

The set remained close throughout, as the two squads traded leads. Trailing 20-19, a Kaley Lyons service ace sandwiched between kills from Grigsby and Broyles gave IUK a two-point lead at 22-20. The Cougs would close out set one 25-22.

The Cougars fell behind early in set two, but quickly responded to double up the Warriors at both 10-5 and 18-6. Midland battled back to pull with four twice, but it was too little too late, as IUK closed out the set 25-20 to lead 2-0.

IUK seemed to be in control in set three, as they led 13-8 at the halfway point before Midland utilized a 6-0 run to lead by one. IU Kokomo won three-straight to lead again at 20-19, but the two sides continued to trade the lead before being knotted at 23. The Warriors would win the ensuing two points to take set three 25-23 and force a fourth-set. 

Coach Hayes's squad trailed 5-3 in the fourth before reeling off four-straight points to take the lead. Then, with the score knotted at 10, another 4-0 spurt gave the Cougars a four-point advantage. 

An Allison Richman kill extended the IUK lead to five at 20-15, forcing a Warrior timeout with their backs against the wall. After surrendering the first four match points, including one to a questionable call and decision after a Cougar challenge, another Richman kill gave the Cougars the four-set victory to clinch a second consecutive "Sweet 16" finish at minimum.

A pair of underclassmen led the IUK attack Thursday, as Mya Grigsby had 17 kills and Cali Cummings and Lexi Broyles each floored 12. Cummings hit an astonishing .455 while Broyles followed closely behind at .393. Alexis Baney and Maggie Connell each had seven kills, with setter Allison Richman totaling six. 

Defensively, Ellie Garland recorded a team-high 21 digs for an average of 5.25 digs per set, while Cummings tallied a match-high seven blocks. Grigsby had 15 digs and Julia Sanders added 13, while both Connell and Kaley Lyons finished with eight.

Lyons led the Cougars setter duo with 24 assists, while Richman followed with 20.