Pioneers volleyball drops RSC home match to Indiana Southeast on Friday night

PITTSBURGH -- Point Park University volleyball came up short in a River States Conference loss to visiting Indiana University Southeast on Friday from the Student Center Gym. The Grenadiers got the key points to take a 3-0 sweep over the Pioneers. 

IU Southeast (11-8, 6-4 RSC) won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 taking the final two sets in very close fashion. The Pioneers (4-12, 1-7 RSC) will get right back into action with another RSC home match on Saturday, Oct. 7 versus Midway (Ky.) with a 12:00 p.m. start. 

Point Park was facing a couple of deficits of six points in the opening set but battled back to get within 22-20. But they ran into some hitting errors at the wrong time with three of those giving IU Southaeast the final three points of the set, 25-20. 

Point Park enjoyed a lead of at least a few points for much of the second set. The Pioneers were ahead 20-16 when IU Southeast made a run. The Grenadiers won seven of the next eight points for a 23-21 lead. Despite kills from Ashlynn Gulakowski and Haley Stormer to pull the Pioneers even at 23-23, IU Southeast followed with with kills from Ella Brooks and Allison Daves to take the 2-0 lead in the match. 

The third set was tied seven times with the last of those being at 12-12. IU Southeast put together another run to build an 18-13 lead. The Pioneers got within 21-19 but could not gain any more ground as the teams traded points the rest of the way as it ended 25-22. 

It was a big offense for IU Southeast with three players in double digits for kills -- Brooks 17, Daves 13 and Emilee Organ 10. Daves did not make an error all night hitting .520 while Brooks and Organ hit .400 and .348, respectively. Cate Murphy led the attack with 43 assists as IU Southeast led in total kills, 48-39.

Amanda Contois led Point Park with eight kills hitting .316 on the night. Haley Stormer also hit well at .538 with just one error and eight kills of her own. Mariah Perez added seven kills. 

Both of Point Park's setters had 16 assists with Ashlynn Gulakowski and Elise Wallace splitting time. Mia Arndt led with nine digs followed by Kenzie Zauner with eight and Wallace and Eden McElhaney with seven each.