Gary, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's volleyball team held off a late rally from Saint Xavier, who almost forced a fifth set, at the Savannah Center Tuesday.

The RedHawks (13-7, 8-6 CCAC) defeated the Cougars (9-20, 6-8), 3-1, at the Savannah Center, Tuesday. The scores were 25-19, 25-20, 12-25, 23-25.

IUN led the first set 10-5 early on after a kill by Erica Kik (Griffith, Ind.), SXU went on a 5-1 run to cut it within one point. 

The RedHawks were able to get the answer right back by going on a 5-2 run capped off by a kill by Robyn Griffin (Downers Grove, Ill./Lisle Senior) to make it 15-12 IUN. A few points later, Griffin gave IUN one of their biggest leads of the night after recording a service ace.

After a timeout by the Cougars, SXU looked to fight back in the match scoring the next few points to make it 21-18. IUN was able to hold off SXU after a kill by Mary Markusic (Munster, Ind./Bishop Noll) and a service ace by Maddie Maatman (Beecher, Ill./Illiana Christian) made it 23-18 then a kill by Emileishka De Jesus (Hobart, Ind./Portage) ended the set.

Both teams traded points in the early going of the second set before IUN went on a 7-1 run to go ahead 10-4. SXU found their way back in the match after outscoring the RedHawks 11-5 to make it tie it at 15-all. 

Caitlin Alwine (Goshen, Ind.) ended that run with a huge service ace. IUN was ahead 21-20 late in the set but the RedHawks scored the last four points capped off by a kill Bella Kuechenberg (Lowell, Ind./Bishop Noll) to win the set 25-20. 

SXU was facing elimination in the third set and came out strong. The Cougars were ahead 6-5 then went on a 19-9 run the rest of the way to stay alive by winning the third set.

IUN looked to put the match away in the fourth set but SXU had other plans. The RedHawks went ahead 7-3 in the early stages but the Cougars used a 8-4 run to go ahead 11-10. 

Both teams would trade points back and forth then be tied 13-all. SXU scored the next four to go ahead 17-13 for their biggest lead of the set.

IUN fought back and tied it at 20 a piece after a kill by Griffin and a service error. SXU was up 23-21 late in the set but IUN just like the second set, scored the last four points to capture the victory including three straight attack errors and two blocks by Kik. 

De Jesus led the RedHawks on the attack with 20 kills. Kuechenberg led the way on defense with 20 digs.

Alwine recorded 14 huge digs. Maatman had a huge night setting up attacks as the junior recorded 40 assists. 

Kik, Markusic and Griffin had huge nights near the net. Kik had six blocks, Markusic had five and Griffin had four.

IUN returns to action Thursday, October 31 for a Halloween Special as the RedHawks travel to their rival Calumet College of St. Joseph starting at 7 p.m. CT.