MIDWAY, Ky. -- After a non-conference victory on Tuesday, the Midway women's volleyball team returned to River States Conference play on Friday night when they hosted Indiana University Kokomo inside Marshall Gymnasium.
The Cougars cruised to a 25-13 victory in the opening set and never looked back. The final two sets were much closer than the first, but the Eagles never could properly close out a set as IU Kokomo cruised to the 3-0 victory (25-13, 25-20, 26-24).
Midway committed fewer attacking errors than the visitors, but they couldn't match the offensive output of the Cougars – who improved to 14-5 overall and 4-0 in RSC play with the win. IU Kokomo finished with 39 kills compared to just 26 from the home squad.
The Eagles – who fell to 7-8 overall and 0-3 in conference play with the loss – never could get into a rhythm in the opening stanza. The Cougars sprinted out to a 5-1 lead and never looked back en route to the 25-13 win in the opening frame.
The beginning of the second set was nip-and-tuck as Midway battled and found themselves in a tie a 15 apiece. IU Kokomo responded with a 3-0 run which gave them enough space to slip away with the 25-20 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set proved to be the best offensive set for the Eagles, but it also unfortunately proved to be the best for the visitors as well. Midway finished with 13 kills and a .175 hitting clip, while the visitors posted 16 kills and a .263 hitting percentage.
It didn't look good for the Eagles when they trailed 14-10, but they didn't go down quietly. An ace from Tori Richman (Fort Wayne, Ind.) tied the set at 17 on the heels of a 3-0 run. IU Kokomo responded with a 3-0 run of their own, but Midway refused to go away.
Back-to-back kills from Richman and Brooke Trompler (Campton, Ky.) followed by an attacking error tied the set at 25 apiece, but the Cougars got back-to-back kills from Erinn Adam and Kiersten Cooper to seal the 26-24 win and the 3-0 sweep in the match.
Alysha Tullar (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led the offensive attack with nine kills apiece in the loss. Trompler also chipped in a team best 13 digs, while Tullar added eight. Madi Eberst (Chillicothe, Ohio) also added a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs.
The Eagles now have a quick turnaround as they return to action on Saturday when they host Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) at noon ET.
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