After a week off from game action, Indiana volleyball traveled to Conway, South Carolina, to compete in the Chanticleer Classic for a pair of matches against Coastal Carolina University and North Carolina State University.
The Hoosiers began the tournament with a four-set victory over Coastal Carolina on Friday.
Indiana got out to a hot scoring start against the Chanticleers. The Cream and Crimson tallied three kills and three service aces to take an early 6-0 advantage and force Coastal Carolina into a timeout.
The Chanticleers executed a kill after the break, but Indiana fifth-year middle blocker Kiki Granberry matched with a kill of her own on the ensuing play.
The Hoosiers continued to tack on kills and take advantage of the Chanticleers' mistakes to carry a 15-9 lead into the media timeout.
Out of the break, a service ace from Indiana sophomore outside hitter Jaidyn Jager and a Coastal Carolina attacking error extended the Hoosiers’ lead to 17-9.
Indiana continued to build its advantage for the remainder of the set, taking a 25-14 first set victory. Indiana hit .636 as a team, with five different Hoosiers tallying at least two kills. The Cream and Crimson also earned four service aces, while Coastal Carolina had none.
The Hoosiers and Chanticleers traded points to start the second set with five ties in the first 10 points. However, Indiana created distance as it took a four-point lead into the media timeout. The 15-11 advantage matched the largest lead for any team in the set.
Following the break, Coastal Carolina picked up a quick point to pull the game within three. But the Hoosiers responded with three straight points, resulting in a Chanticleer timeout.
Back-to-back kills from Coastal Carolina brought the match to 18-14. The Chanticleers tacked on another point, but a kill from freshman outside hitter Sarah Snowbarger ended the Coastal Carolina run.
Indiana held its advantage for the remainder of the set, winning 25-18.
For the first time in the match, the Chanticleers took the opening point of the set in the third with a block assist from Coastal Carolina senior opposite hitter Natalie Hughes. Indiana responded with back-to-back kills from Jager and Snowbarger to lead 2-1.
Coastal Carolina tacked on the next four points before a Granberry kill ended the run. The Chanticleers took the next two points and got out to an 8-3 advantage before the Hoosiers called a timeout.
Indiana and Coastal Carolina continued to trade points, with the Chanticleers taking a 15-10 lead into the media break. An attacking error from Boersema extended Coastal Carolina’s advantage to six.
The Hoosiers began to chip away at the score, cutting it to 20-16 and forcing Coastal Carolina into a timeout.
A block assist from Jager and sophomore middle blocker Victoria Gray pulled the Hoosiers within three. But a 3-0 run from the Chanticleers gave them a 23-17 advantage. The Hoosiers were unable to fight back, falling 25-21.
Indiana got out to an early 5-1 advantage in the fourth set. Coastal Carolina responded with back-to-back points to pull the game within two before the Hoosiers opened a 4-0 run.
Indiana kept the offense rolling, holding a 15-4 lead into the media timeout. The Chanticleers never recovered, losing 25-15.
Three Hoosiers finished with at least 10 kills, including Jager (17), Granberry (13) and Snowbarger (10). As a team, Indiana dished 59 kills, while Coastal Carolina tallied just 32.
The Hoosiers’ victory moved them to 6-2 on the season. Indiana will look to finish the Chanticleer Classic undefeated when it faces NC State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki87731 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
