PITTSBURGH – IU Southeast jumped out to a two sets to none lead but a furious West Virginia Tech comeback sent the Golden Bears to the RSC Semifinals in a five-set thriller at the River States Conference Volleyball Championship at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.
The Golden Bears won 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14.
Senior Alyssa Cosgrove led IU Southeast with 18 kills in her final collegiate match. Parker Andres added 13 kills and Alexis Bassett chipped in with 10.
The Grenadiers (24-7) came out with a dominant offensive attack in the first set, recording an attack percentage of .448 with 14 kills to just two errors.
The second set was tied at 10 when IU Southeast used a 10-4 run to take a 20-14 lead. The Golden Bears (22-10) cut the deficit to 21-17, but a kill from Cosgrove and back-to-back errors forced set point. Makendri Fisher would finish the set with a kill and a 25-22 win.
The third set swung back and forth with both teams only able to manage leads of three points or fewer. It was tied at 22 when WVU Tech recorded back-to-back kills to force set point. A kill by Cosgrove prolonged the set but then an attack error got the Golden Bears on the board.
The fourth set saw WVU Tech take a 17-13 lead but the Grenadiers came back with a 7-2 run as they rallied after a string of errors by WVU Tech. But the Golden Bears used a 6-1 run in the final seven points to tie the match.
The Grenadiers hit -.029 in the fourth set with 11 kills to 12 errors to keep the Golden Bears alive.
But IU Southeast battled back in the fifth set to take a 12-10 lead on a kill by Hannah Sipe and ace from Brookelyn Clark. Then a kill by Cosgrove gave IU Southeast a 13-11 lead.
But the Golden Bears would not go away. A service error and then two straight kills by the Golden Bears forced match point. But an attack error by WVU Tech gave IU Southeast new life.
Back-to-back kills by Ana Alonso Olea and Katelyn Byrd ended the match and the season for the Grenadiers.
Hannah Sipe had 48 assists and four kills in the loss. Kenna Burman led IU Southeast with 27 digs and Jennie Malone and Alexis Bassett each had four blocks. Alyssa Cosgrove and Brookelyn Clark each had three aces.
