GARY, Ind. – Briah Strezo led the way with a season-high 17 kills, but the Indiana University Northwest volleyball team dropped a four-set (25-18, 21-25, 19-25, 21-25) decision to
CCAC foe Saint Xavier Saturday afternoon inside the Savannah Center.
The
RedHawks (3-16, 2-4) were holding on to a slim one-point (17-16) advantage in the opener, but three consecutive kills by IUN pushed the lead to four (20-16). During the
RedHawks late rally,
Jaelyn Donald had three of the five kills for IUN.
Early in the second stanza, the
RedHawks found themselves down five (10-5), but they climbed out of their hole and got to within a point (14-13) after
Baileigh Uporsky blocked a shot. IUN though couldn't hold the momentum as SXU (9-6, 7-1) outscored the
RedHawks 11-8.
Down 10 in the third IUN slowly got back into the set as it got the deficit to five (24-19) before the Cougars closed the set. The
RedHawks at one point scored six straight times but couldn't finish off the late rally.
Strezo laid down a hammer to give IUN a six-point cushion in the final set, SXU, however used an 8-0 run to take the lead. The
RedHawks, meanwhile, would use a 7-2 spurt to regain the lead, but the Cougars scored seven of the next nine points to hold on for the win.
Next week IUN hits the road to play Trinity Christian on Tuesday and then travels to Roosevelt Thursday night with both matches set for 7 p.m.
