SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Indiana Wesleyan Women's Volleyball opened Crossroads League play with a 3-1 road win over Spring Arbor on Tuesday, winning 25-18, 25-23, 11-25, 25-21 at the McDonald Athletic Center. The victory extended the Wildcats' winning streak to four matches and improved Indiana Wesleyan to 6-2 overall (1-0 CRL), coming off a 3-0 weekend at the Onset Invitational that included sweeps of Loyola and Defiance and a four-set win over No. 20 Midland.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: McDonald Athletic Center | Spring Arbor, Mich.
- Records: IWU - 6-2 (1-0 CRL) | Spring Arbor - 8-2 (0-1 CRL)
- NAIA Rankings: IWU - #3 | Spring Arbor - NR
SET ONE
- Trailing 3-2, Indiana Wesleyan reeled off a 4-0 run, featuring a kill from Shae Williams and a service ace from Camaya Murry, to take a 6-3 lead.
- The Wildcats added a 3-0 run, a service ace from Payton Barendsen contributing, to extend the lead to 10-5.
- Indiana Wesleyan pulled away with a 5-0 run, punctuated by a kill from Marin Sanchez, to open a commanding 15-6 lead and cruised to a 25-18 win.
SET TWO
- Both teams battled to begin set two, staying even until Indiana Wesleyan went on a 4-0 run led by two kills for Mariana Van Der Aa. Her offense helped open an early 11-7 lead.
- Spring Arbor answered with three separate runs, tying the set at 14-14 before taking its first lead of the set at 20-19.
- Trailing 23-22, Indiana Wesleyan closed the set on a 3-0 run, capped by a service ace from Camaya Murry and a kill from Aubree Deshetsky, to win 25-23.
SET THREE
- Spring Arbor opened the set with a 6-0 run, headlined by a kill from Natasha Bickel, to take control early.
- The Eagles added a 3-0 run and later a 4-0 run, extending the lead to 22-9.
- Spring Arbor closed out the set 25-11, cutting Indiana Wesleyan's match lead to 2-1.
SET FOUR
- Spring Arbor opened with a 5-0 run, capped by a service ace from Melissa Staufer, to take a 5-1 lead.
- Indiana Wesleyan answered with a 5-0 run, featuring a kill from Shae Williams and a service ace from Daniella Joseph, to take an 11-8 lead, before Spring Arbor responded with a 4-0 run to retake a 12-11 edge.
- Trailing 12-11, the Wildcats reeled off a 7-0 run, featuring kills from Shae Williams, Marin Sanchez and Blair Gardiner and a service ace from Payton Barendsen, to seize control at 18-12 and closed out the set 25-21 to take the match, 3-1.
KEY WILDCATS
LOOKING AHEAD
- Indiana Wesleyan opens the Concordia University Tournament on Friday in Seward, Neb., facing Columbia College (Mo.).
- Links for tickets, live stats, and video are available at IWUWildcats.com.
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