IU SOUTHEAST DEFEATS IU EAST IN FIVE SET THRILLER SATURDAY

RICHMOND, Ind. – The IU Southeast volleyball team defeated IU East 27-29, 25-18, 25-20, 19-25, 15-11 handing the Red Wolves their first conference loss on Saturday.

Emilee Organ had 14 kills and Delaney Nichols added 13 to lead the Grenadiers. Macy Graves and Jennie Malone each had eight kills while Malone added a solo block and seven block assists on the day.

The first set went back-and-forth with neither team able to gain much of an advantage. A kill by IU East's Reece Shirley followed by an attack error by the Grenadiers sent the first set to the Red Wolves.

IU Southeast bounced back in the second set and took a 13-4 lead that the Red Wolves were never able to overcome. Delaney Nichols and Emilee Organ each had four kills in the second set to spark the Grenadier offense.

IU East cut the lead to 21-15 but a couple of kills from Nichols forced set point and an attack error tied the match at a set apiece.

IU Southeast used a 5-1 run in the third set to take a 15-8 lead but four straight points for the Red Wolves cut the deficit to three.

A quick 5-2 run by the Grenadiers, with kills from Organ, Graves and Alexis Franks, extended the lead to 20-14, but the Red Wolves scored four of the next five points to stay in the set.

Kills by Franks and Nichols and attack errors at the end of the set won the frame for the Grenadiers. The set was capped off by a block by Jennie Malone and Maggie Purichia.

The Grenadiers trailed 21-15 in the fourth set but cut the lead to 21-18. IU East responded by scoring four of the final five points to force a deciding fifth set.

The final set was tied at eight when the Grenadiers put the match out of reach with a 6-1 run. Emilee Organ had three kills in that stretch.

IU Southeast hosts West Virginia Tech Friday at 7 p.m.