Red Wolves end RedStorm's win streak

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Strong play along the net had been a big part of the University of Rio Grande's nine-game winning streak.
     As things turned out, it also ended up playing a big role in that streak coming to an end.
     Indiana University East shook off a slow start offensively, but more than made up for their shortcomings on the defensive side of things in a 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-16) triumph over the RedStorm, Friday night, in River States Conference women's volleyball action at a rowdy Newt Oliver Arena.
     The Red Wolves moved to 10-6 overall and 3-1 in conference play with the victory.
     Rio Grande, which played without the services of two of its regulars in senior Shalea Byrd (Canal Winchester, OH) and junior Sofia Otero Marerro (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico), fell to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the RSC as a result of the loss.
     Byrd suffered a season-ending knee injury during Tuesday night's win over Point Park, while Otero Marrero was sidelined in concussion protocol.
     IU East committed nearly half of its 25 attack errors for the match in the one set that it lost, but tallied just 15 errors in the course of 119 attacks over the final three stanzas.
     On the defensive side of the things, the Red Wolves were credited with 12.5 blocks as team (3 solo blocks and 22 block assists) helping contribute to a scant .128 swing percentage for Rio Grande. The 12.5 blocks represented a single-game season-high for a Rio opponent.
     The RedStorm enjoyed their best success early and trailed just twice in the opening moments of the first period at 1-0 and 2-1, but IUE scored the first five points of set two and never trailed en route to evening the match.
     The Red Wolves then scored seven of the final nine winners - including five straight at one point - to erase a 20-18 deficit late in set three and grab control of the match, while bolting to a 7-3 cushion and never trailing in the final period toward closing out the win.
     Jessica Swimm had a match-best 19 kills for IU East, which finished with a .185 swing percentage, to go along with a pair of service aces. Teah Barrett Matthews added 13 kills to go along with a solo block and five block assists.
     Reece Shirley was credited with a match-best 44 assists for the Wolves, while rounding out a solid all-around match with 12 digs, a solo block and seven block assists.
     Ella Bickel and Brooke Lepper had 25 and 15 digs, respectively, while Loretta Pelkington totaled six block assists.
     Rio Grande was led by senior Amanda Rarick (Canal Winchester, OH), who returned from injury to hammer down a team-high 16 kills. Freshman Kelli Stewart (Waverly, OH) added 13 kills of her own.
     Junior Avery Huntzinger (Canal Winchester, OH) added 26 assists and 12 digs in a losing cause, while freshman Regan Wilcoxon (Gallipolis, OH) - making her varsity debut in lieu of Otero Marrero's absence - had 19 assists.
     Junior Ashton Webb (Gallipolis, OH) and freshman Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) had 23 and 10 digs, respectively, for the RedStorm, while junior Jordan Brooks (Reynoldsburg, OH) chipped in with three block assists.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday when it hosts rival Shawnee State University in another RSC contest beginning at noon.