Top-seed Cougars eliminate Rio women

Rio Grande Sports Information
     KOKOMO, Ind. - Top-seeded Indiana University Kokomo trailed just once in the first two sets and then pulled away down the stretch in set three for a 25-15, 25-13, 25-19 win over the University of Rio Grande in the semfinal round of the River States Conference Women's Volleyball Championship, Friday evening, at the Student Activities and Events Center.
     Kokomo, which is ranked No. 14 in the latest NAIA coaches' Top 25 poll, improved to 31-3 with the victory and advanced to Saturday's title game against Indiana University East, which ousted Oakland City University in Friday's other semifinal contest.
     Rio Grande, the tourney's No. 5 seed, finished its season at 20-11 with the loss.
     The RedStorm never led in the opening period and its only advantage in set two came at 1-0 following a kill by graduate senior Tess Perdue (Lexington, KY), but head coach Billina Donaldson's squad - as it did in Tuesday night's quarterfinal round triumph over St. Mary-of-the-Woods College - showed signs of life after a kill by freshman Averie Bruce (Baltimore, OH) produced a 15-11 lead in the third set.
     The host Cougars quickly turned the tide toward the opposite direction, though, reeling off eight straight winners a match-ending 14-4 run.
     Kokomo finished the match with a .280 attack percentage, tallying 43 kills and 13 errors in 107 total swings.
     Audrey Strawsma had 11 kills to pace the Cougars, while Kaley Lyons and Allison Richman added 16 and 10 assists, respectively.
     Alyvia Smith and Julia Sanders had 11 and 10 digs, respectively for IUK, while Lexi Broyles had four block assists. Strawsma and Maggie Connell had three block assists each.
     Rio Grande hit just .090 for the match with 29 kills and 20 errors in 100 attacks.
     Junior Jordan Brooks (Reynoldsburg, OH) led the RedStorm with nine kills, while junior Avery Huntzinger (Canal Winchester, OH) had 14 assists and junior Ashton Webb (Gallipolis, OH) had nine digs.
     Freshman McKenna Diedrich (Pickerington, OH) had four block assists in the loss.