 |
| ---NKU’s
Kristina Eisenmenger (left) challenges Indianapolis’
Lyndsay Callahan at the net Saturday in Regents Hall. Eisenmenger
notched a team-leading 20 kills, but Indianapolis posted a
four-game victory over NKU for its 23rd straight win. |
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS,
Ky. - At this point, it's completely accurate - and maybe an understatement
- to say that Indianapolis is on an absolute roll. As a result,
the Greyhounds can start making plans to host the Great Lakes Valley
Conference Tournament next month.
And if Indianapolis
continues to play as it did Saturday afternoon in Regents Hall,
the Greyhounds will likely be the host of the NCAA Division II Great
Lakes Regional, too.
Indianapolis
put an exclamation point on those facts by posting a 30-27, 30-16,
32-34, 30-15 win at Northern Kentucky University. The 18th-ranked
Greyhounds extended their school-record winning streak to 23 and
improved to 26-1 overall, 15-0 in the GLVC.
Indianapolis
effectively contained NKU middle hitter Liz Holmes, who hit just
.030 with eight kills. Holmes - the AVCA National Player of the
Week - entered the match attacking at a .474 clip, which ranked
No. 2 nationally.
If there was
a turning point Saturday, it probably occurred in the opening game.
NKU held a 26-21 lead and appeared in control, but Indianapolis
countered with a 9-1 run to steal a 30-27 win. The 25th-ranked Norse
hit .326 in the first game, but Indianapolis attacked at a .357
clip and gained all the momentum with the late rally.
The Greyhounds
jumped on the stunned Norse in the second game by hitting .351 and
rolled to a 30-16 victory. Indianapolis bolted out to a 7-1 advantage
and limited NKU to a .135 hitting percentage to take a 2-0 lead
in the match.
Faced with being
swept at home for the first time this season, NKU battled back from
a 22-18 deficit with an 11-3 run to take a 29-25 lead in the third
game. Indianapolis, however, refused to fold and fought off seven
game points before Kristina Eisenmenger converted an attack to give
the Norse a 34-32 win.
Indianapolis
wasted no time in establishing itself in the fourth game by jumping
out to a 7-1 lead. NKU hit just -.057 and watched as the Greyhounds
rolled to a 30-15 win.
Eisenmenger
paced NKU (22-6, 11-4 GLVC) with 20 kills and a .400 hitting percentage.
Tristen Dye added 16 kills and 13 digs, while Natalie Forbes finished
with 52 assists and 13 digs. Casey Chrzastowski led Indianapolis
with 20 kills and attacked at a .457 clip.
Indianapolis
has now defeated NKU six consecutive times dating back to 2005.
NKU owns a 34-9 lead in the all-time series.
The Norse conclude
their home schedule Sunday at 3:30 p.m. with a non-conference match
against Mount St. Joseph.
BOX
SCORE
|